Casting for Kingies around buoys

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    Posted: 15 Jan 2017 at 7:10pm
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Still somewhat amped at catching my first decent Kingie on a stickbait (yeah, ok only 11kg but solo and a first for me)
So....how likely is it to get a repeat performance on fly?
I've got a 12wt set......what do you reckon?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jan 2017 at 9:21pm
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Great work, I'm still dreaming of that day, despite having enough stick baits to start my own shop! Some lost fish are my only tales so far.

I've got an old article where one of the Vaz boys (Manic Tackle) was pulling some kingies from the Rangi channel markers etc. 

Having lost a nice fish which rubbed the line on the buoy chain and straightened the hook on a big integrated weight soft bait, I think fly would be a hugely meritorious achievement. I think, like lure casting, slack tide would be the go, or you need a brilliant boat handler to stop you having some expensive issues with fly lines on the chains.

http://www.manictackleproject.com/dawn-raid-on-the-waitemata/

http://www.manictackleproject.com/auckland-kingfish-and-new-salt-flies/

You're next...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2017 at 11:50am
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As long as they swim the right way and you can drift with the fish away from the structure. Go light on them after the strike and tease them out to sea...   or get yourself a good boatman and after the hook-up throw the boat in between the kingfish and the structure with engines roaring! Can be a stressful business. Kings over sand are so much nicer...



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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote muchalls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2017 at 8:42pm
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Cheers.
Got a Colton and a TFO 12 wt I built last year. I too have several stickbaits (and a beautiful RAL Popper) and salt flies for Africa!
Assume a floating line with a couple of metres of trace? How heavy,?should I taper from 80 lbs to say 30 or just stick with a single line?

This was a real 'fish your feet' experience, as it was caught 2km from the boat ramp, most boats go flying past.

My RAL Popper

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2017 at 8:42am
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Charlie, whenI'm fishing around structure with fly poppers I tend to use a long section of 60lb fluoro tied to a short tippet section of 25lb fluoro. The small 25lb tippet is effectively a 'break-away' (although it is still incredibly hard  to break). I fish this leader set-up on lines that have cores that are 50lb+ breaking strain. It gives you some hope that you might get your fly line back if a hooked king buries you in the kelp. 

There are some good kingfish structures in the Bay of Islands. Some of them ridiculously close to ramps. However, all our kingfish structures are surrounded by the most heinous reefs. Be prepared to lose some gear! 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote muchalls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jan 2017 at 10:51am
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Cheers for the advice, I shall go prepared.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote the gas man Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2017 at 2:23pm
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I've noticed a couple of things when flicking soft-baits at the marker buoys.
Firstly the kings generally sit up current of the buoy, so cast there.
Secondly I normally position the boat on the channel side of the buoy, as find when hooked up the fish run toward the channel.
Has anyone else noticed that??
Couple of tips that may help if using 12wt fly rod (would be great fun).
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2017 at 4:02pm
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I often got a chase on my first cast, then they seemed to get wise.

But, when I switched to a big Storm integrated paddle tail softie they couldn't resist, I think they felt safer down a few metres, and the action was very good fluttering and weaving. 

But I had to get it past the buoy, and retrieve more or less right under it. A metre wider and they stayed in cover.

I have read previously that kingies favour the up-current pressure side of structure because that is the side they expect the baitfish to come to them from. Trout are the same - most people think they would lie behind a boulder, but many lie in front of it. Better visibility of what's coming towards them, I guess?

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote muchalls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jan 2017 at 4:23pm
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Indeed, cheers for the advice.
Mate of mine who is a spearo noted the same, Capstan Rock, Kingies sitting ahead in the current.
How long a trace would you advise?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote 8wt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2017 at 5:40pm
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Just read the comments on kingies lying up current of structure. Trout do this actually to expend less energy in waiting for food to come down to them. There is a hydraulic cushion area upstream of structure where there is little current and they'll lie there and dart into the flow as food passes then return to the cushion to save energy. Same may apply to kingies I guess.

I saw a classic example of this effect years ago when a rescue diver slid down the upstream face of a big rock in a raging gorge to confirm a kayakers body was jammed under the white water. You would never have believed he could stay in position without being swept away.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jan 2017 at 8:51pm
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Originally posted by muchalls muchalls wrote:

I
How long a trace would you advie?

For casting lures (not fly fishing) I use a length which allows me to have the FG knot about a foot up from the reel with the lure about 60cm or so from the rod tip. So I guess it's about 8ft (2.5m)?
So more based on casting efficiency than concern about fish seeing the braid.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jofly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2017 at 4:24pm
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Refer trip report in Who's been fishing AKL for 21/1/17.

Thought I would add to this thread with what worked for me today.  Keep in mind that today was my first kingi on fly and the first time I have had success off a marker.  

I managed to land one 72cm Kingi from a channel marker, was busted by another (lost half my flyline) and had a rather large one follow my fly to the boat.

I was using a 10wt with a fast sinking shooting head initially. On this setup I had 2m of 25lb mono straight to the fly tied on with a loop knot.

I started in the dark and had no luck on the first marker which was more or less target practice. Once I moved on, it started to become light and the current dropped.

I think this was the key, slow current. Soon as it slowed the first one hit. I had cast directly behind the buoy on the down current side. It was short-lived unfortunately. Before I even had the boat in gear I was busted and only about 2m of my shooting head came back Cry

I changed to my intermediate line, this time with a 1m hand tied furled leader of 20lb fluorocarbon followed by 1.5m of 20lb fluorocarbon to the fly, again with a loop knot.

The next take was on the up-current side and I could see the boils as my fly was chased down. This time I was quicker to get the boat in gear and headed as far away from the marker as quick as I could.  Success! Big smile

Note to self, take a net next time, tailing a king from a boat on your own is hard.

By the time I had landed the kingi it was daylight and I only had one more follow, again from the down-current side. It was a much larger fish of probably around 1m. It may have been more of a casual investigative follow than real interest but it certainly jolted my heart into action.

The fly that worked was essentially one of the wig-hair flies that keep getting mentioned but tied with SF blend and large tungsten dumbbell eyes to get it down and give it a darting motion.  I used some white egg yarn tied over the dumbbell as a makeshift pompom.

The first fly was bronze/white and the second mackerel/white, both in 2/0 gamagatsu SL12S.

Some photos





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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fenien Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2017 at 7:16pm
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Nice work & some excellent photos too.Still waiting on my first king on fly......
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote The Tamure Kid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2017 at 7:57pm
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Congratulations, awesome work. Particularly on your own variant fly - that always makes a capture extra special, whether it's trout or salt water.

Glad you didn't get too despondent after the wake up call and loss of gear. I've had a few fails lure fishing for kingies so far, both out in the channels and off the shore - parted lines and lures sailing off into space, straightened hooks, even just casting for ages without a single follow.
That's why kingies are so sought after, I guess.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote muchalls Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 2017 at 10:10pm
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Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Mike.Thomas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jan 2017 at 12:00am
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Good effort Jofly! 
In my time in Auckland the one thing that seemed to be fairly consistent with Marker Buoy Kings was the speed of retrieve, if they are following and not taking you are not stripping fast enough. Try holding the rod under the armpit and striping rolypoly style or Pulley style, where you hold the line with one hand behind the other and pull your hands apart as quickly as possible, be careful, the line will move fast enough to give you friction burns on your fingers if the line is not wet!
I wish they had Kingfish in my new home in Portsmouth UK!
All the best.
Mike
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