In the following article on my site, I’m going to discuss the subject that is titled “How Do You Rig Live Bait For Kingfish?.” I will provide you with all of the pertinent information that pertains to the topic. I have high hopes that you will find this essay to be really helpful.
What is the
best rig
for kingfish?
There are only six rigs I use: running ball sinker onto the bait, whole bait on a set of ganged hooks, live baiting a whole squid, sliding snooded hooks, bait suspended under a bobby cork, or a bait suspended under a balloon. Try anchoring about 6-10m up current of a marker buoy or channel marker.
What size hooks for kingfish?
Kingfish:
Hook sizes are typically 7/0 to 12/0 , depending on bait size.
livebait patterns
are perfect for livebaiting, but any strong short-shank hook, including circle hooks, is fine. Overhead or
good quality spinning reels
with the
line capacity
and
drag performance
to handle kingfish can be used.
Best Hook: What is the best hook for live bait
For live-bait fishing, I recommend thin wire hooks This style penetrates your bait more easily and damages it less, thus allowing it to move freely on the hook and stay alive longer than when using heavy-weight hooks. Most live-bait hooks for inshore salt waters range from size 1/0 to 8/0.
Kingfish Leader: How long should a kingfish leader be
The length of the main leader is usually around 24 inches , just long enough to prevent a cut-off should the fish strike the head of the bait.
How fast do you troll for kingfish?
Kingfish:
When targeting kingfish, we always troll a little bit slower than usual. For many species, 6-8 knots is fine. For kings, 3-5 knots seems to be the sweet spot.
How fast do you troll live bait?
Bait:
Live-bait fishing requires slow ( 2- to 4-knot) speeds , allowing live baits to swim naturally.
What should I troll for kingfish?
Kingfish:
The most
effective lures
for kingfish tend to be those that wobble or wiggle instead of spinning. This narrows the field down to bibbed and bibless minnows, lead-headed rubber/plastic-tailed jigs, and specially designed and weighted lure-bait combinations such as Bait-o-matics.
Live Bait: Should I use a sinker with live bait
Using a sinker anchors the bait to the bottom and may mean no fish feeds there Letting a live bait swim around mid-water is great as it will cover a lot more area than being anchored in one spot. Floats can be used to keep track of your bait and indicate when your target species hits the bait.
Live Bait: Do you use weights with live bait
Use a split-shot rig with a sinker. To keep the live bait at an appropriate depth and control the line for the kind of fish you want to catch, it’s usually common to rig your line up with a split-shot sinker to weight things down.
Live Bait: Do you troll with live bait
Live trolling refers to trolling with natural bait Also called shallow trolling, the key to success with this form of live bait fishing relies on knowing how to hook live bait to best mimic live prey. Unlike live lining, live trolling does not necessarily mean trolling the bottom.
King Mackerel: What is the best speed to troll for king mackerel
When trolling for kings with live bait, the best trolling speed is between 1-3 knots Bumping the boat into and out of gear is a common technique for accomplishing this. Straight trolling at seven to ten knots is one strategy of attracting and catching King mackerel.
Colour Lures: What Colour lures do kingfish like
In New Zealand, this mainly means natural colours, like shades of greens, silvers, blues, whites, etc. If you’re targeting kingfish (either trolling lures or stick-baits), you’ll be wanting to replicate fish like Jack Mackerel, Blue Koheru, Piper, and even Squid.
How much drag do you need for kingfish?
Kingfish:
The reels also need to have good drags, offering at least 10-12kg of drag to help put the hurt on big kingfish. Again, you will need to tie an 80lb-120lb mono leader of approximately 10-15ft which is then connected straight to the solid, hook ring on the jig.
What bait does kingfish like?
Kingfish:
Squid, Slimie Mackerel and Yellowtail Scad (Yakkas) would be your most likely and readily available baits, though a live Bonito or Mac Tuna should not be overlooked. Where possible match the hatch! Catch the baits that the Kings are likely to feed on and present them as naturally as you can.
Does the sinker go above or below the hook?
Sinker:
Place one or two split shot sinkers 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) above the hook Press your line into the narrow groove running through the middle of the sinkers. When picking out your sinkers, use enough weight to bring the bait closer to the bottom, but not enough to weigh down your line.
Do you need a swivel for fishing?
Fishing:
The swivel was created to prevent line from twisting and potentially breaking while retrieving a lure or playing a fish, yet often they are used as an easy way to switch lures, without the hassle of tying and retying knots. The latter use of a swivel is certainly handy, but in most cases it is not essential.
Citations
https://www.fishing.net.nz/fishing-advice/how-to/kingfish-methods-for-catching-them/