Habitat Yellowtail Kingfish are an oceanic surface fish congregating over inshore reefs, around rocky headlands, deep water jetties and channel markers as well as offshore over ocean rocks, offshore reefs and around islands. They inhabit the coastal waters of Australia's southern shores from south Qld. to the mid-coast of W.A., including north Tas. Large numbers are found up and down the eastern coastline. They prefer turbulent water and tidal rips and have known to school up over sharp pinnacles of reef, around wharf pylons, bomboras and rocky headlands. They appear during the warmer months of summer and autumn and can be found lurking under schools of slimy mackerel in large bays and estuaries during autumn.
Qualities Well regarded light tackle sport fish. They are a tough fighter, fast and rugged and are renowned for powerful deep diving runs to reefy areas once striked.
Record Australian record 47.25kg.
Best Bait
bait: Mullet, Cuttlefish, Bonito, Fish flesh, Garfish, Live minnow, Octopus, Prawn, Slimy mackerel (blue), Squid, Yellowtail scad (yakka)
Link: 10kg main line with 3m of double line followed by a 20kg 2m monotrace.
Hook: 6/0 - 10/0 Mustad 9175.
Rig: Rod should have high speed guides and tips. Bait is suspended under a float (balloon) at about 2m depth. A 100 - 150g running sinker can lower the bait to deeper water if required. Trolling and Lure rig. Fly gear.
Hints Kingfish can be moody so try a variety of retrieves and lure types. When surface fishing allow the fish to run for 20m before striking but if deep fishing a fast sure strike is best. Trolling whole fish baits can be productive. When fish are found in schools try a slow trolling technique through the school using small whole fish or fish strips. Suspending live bait fish under a big float or balloon is a successful technique from headlands or jetties. Berley of chopped fish and tuna oil works well. Best eating fish are less than 8kg. Smaller fish (7 - 10kg) form large schools whereas the larger fish become loners.
One of our three striped Marlin landed in one day at the Alphard Banks in Feb 2011
Struisbaai and Agulhas is visited by two of the 4 Marlin species of the world,...
TUNA
Baiting Tuna
South Africa is a great place to catch a wide variety of sportfish: the record books graphically proving that many of them reach their maximum size while feeding in our...
Broadbill Swordfish
WITHOUT doubt, broadbill swordfish are an iconic oceanic species. They are one of the fastest, most powerful fish in the sea. But they are not easy to catch and...
Neil Bezuidenhout
