Chasing the king Tasmanian yellowtail kingfish By Nathan Huizing
T
owards the end of each year the water surrounding Tasmania’s coast line begins to heat up as the warmer waters of the East Australian Current (EAC) reach our state. This is an event that many anglers around the state look forward to and for good reason. As things heat up it gives anglers a chance to give species like trout and bream a rest and focus on some of the more sort after seasonal visitors. The mighty yellowtail kingfish is one species that has found its way onto the bucket list for many anglers not only in Tasmania but around the world due to its ability to test even the best of fishermen both physically and mentally! Here in Tasmania, the kingfish has earned a reputation for being quite elusive. In this article I’ll share some tips and tricks that will hopefully help you in the same way they’ve helped me in catching these fish along the East and South East coast of Tassie over the last few years
Locating Kingfish The first piece of the puzzle is knowing where kingfish are likely to be and when they’re going to be there. Starting with water temperature - Kingfish are most comfortable in water temperatures of around 18-22 degrees, however they can tolerate temperatures as low as 13-14 degrees before they need to seek warmer water. Due to this, kingfish will
usually start showing up in late November with the arrival of the EAC and will generally hang around until the end of May when they will begin their journey back up the coast following the warmer waters. When the kingfish arrive in East and South East Tasmania they can pop up just about anywhere but they tend to favour the more sheltered and shallower bays where water temperatures tend to be a couple of degrees warmer. From North East to South East; Georges Bay, Coles Bay, Spring Bay, Norfolk Bay, Derwent River and North West Bay are some of the more popular areas amongst anglers in which the kingfish take up residency for the warmer months. Some of these bays are quite large but there are some key things to look for in your approach to help narrow down the search. Despite being a pelagic that is known to occasionally cruise open water, just like most fish, kings are drawn to structure. Whether it be moorings, wharfs, shellfish leases, salmon leases, reef or rocky outcrops - Using Google Earth and your sounder to locate and the inspect these things can really pay off. However it is important that you don’t just rely on technology. When out on the water, stay on constant lookout for things such as hovering/diving birds, nervous bait rippling the surface, bust ups or even just subtle bow waves which can all be the sign of a kingfish’s presence!
www.tasfish.com - Get the knowledge - Get the fish.
Fishing News - Page 23
