Jigging for kingfish

New writer Jordy Bardin loves jigging for kingfish, which she says involves a great workout, followed by hard strikes, getting railed, and wrestling strong, stroppy fish! Here’s how she does it…

Jigging for the yellowtail kingfish can be as fast-paced and physical as the fisher desires, and it provides an exciting, no-mess alternative to bait-fishing methods.

Good-quality gear

When hooked up to a decent fish, no one wants to be doubting the quality of the line, reel drag or even the rod. If fishing over reef or structure, such as at Ranfurly Banks, a hooked kingfish will fight its hardest to get back there. Reliable, appropriate gear is a must to stop them.

Many jigging setups, especially overhead combos, are method specific, so only really suit jigging. Consequently, I use a spinning-type reel and rod setup for my kingfish jigging, as one outfit has multiple uses – plus, I find it comfortable to use. Finding a setup that suits you is important, enabling you to jig harder, faster and longer.

I have a Shimano Saragosa 20000 spooled with 37kg (80lb) Rainbow Braid and about 3m of 120lb leader, attached with an FG knot. Both FG and PR knots provide strong, reliable braid-to-trace connections if done properly.

Many people tie their jig straight onto the trace line, but I prefer a heavy-duty clip swivel, enabling me to easily connect a prepared trace line, complete with jig, using a Surgeon’s loop knot. This makes jigs easy to swap, or remove and store.

I use an Improved Clinch knot to connect the trace line to the jig’s solid ring, allowing greater movement of the jig and quick jig changes using split-ring pliers.

When the action’s hot, it pays to check your knots, trace and line frequently.

Jig selection

Jig selection essentially comes down to personal preference, with different brands offering a wide variety of styles, weights and colours. Jigs often come pre-rigged, but I generally swap their assist hook and rings for better quality products in 9/0 or 7/0 sizes.

Because of a kingfish’s rough mouth (or when barracouta slash at the jig), even though the cord on the assist hook is superstrong, any nicks in it mean it’s due for a change.

When jigging in deeper water (more than 50m, say) or strong current, heavier jigs are required (350g plus) to get down to the bottom efficiently.

As for colour and design, I prefer using Ocea Pebble Stick jigs, and have caught many of my larger kingfish on the Glow-White colours. Having said that, a quick change of colour or style can often make all the difference and bring the kings on the bite.

Where to look

Kingfish are typically pelagic schooling fish that prey on kahawai, squid and many other relatively small baitfish species. You’ll often find them around some kind of structure, such as reef, pinnacles and drop-offs, especially if current is also present. However, we have found them aggregating on the sand in ‘the middle of nowhere’, perhaps with the current and/or food source holding them there. They can be targeted all year round, especially in warmer North Island waters, but are most abundant during summer.

The best way to locate kingfish is by patrolling the potential area looking for sign on your sounder. Kingfish show up on most sounders as big arches or lines in the water column, generally up off the bottom. However, even if you come across a large patch of schooling fish or a few odd marks, it’s still worth trying a drop or two.

Having a good skipper who can hold you on the marks is a big advantage, enabling your line to remain as vertical as possible and your jig to hit the ‘sweet spot’. Kingfish will actively move around, so pulling your lines in and motoring around to find them again tends to be part of the routine.

Action!

First, set your drag so the fish can pull line after it hooks-up; you want it tight but not so tight you can’t pull it out by hand.

The mechanical-jigging motions – with those fast one-up, one-down winding movements – can be difficult to master, so start slow. The basic technique involves a rod lift no higher than your shoulder and a wind down action that keeps the line tight while the rod is lowered. Repeat, repeat, and repeat again… As funny as it may look (until you get the hang of it), I believe the faster the action the better the results. Really pumping that jig through the water gets the kings excited, so they smash the jig hard. However, I have also seen plenty of good fish hooked on less aggressive jigging techniques. Also, unless the kings are schooling high up or the water’s quite shallow (i.e. less than 30 metres), there’s no need to retrieve right up to the surface. Instead, concentrate on the water-column section showing the promising activity; repeated 20- to 30-metre ‘dashes’ will generally get the job done and allow you to keep going for longer.

After hooking your fish, it pays to get it under control before going for the gimbal. Short lifts of the rod and quick winds (called short-stroking) can help get the fish away from the bottom and heading in the right direction. Now keep this tension on the fish at all times, with the drag set so that line only releases under high strain. And, the most important thing, enjoy the moment!

Respect your catch

Once your kingfish nears the boat, be patient and let it tire and circle around nearer to the side, where you can grab it. A good way to haul it on board involves grabbing either its lower jaw or the jig (if well hooked) with one hand and its caudal peduncle or tail wrist with the other. Catching and releasing these beautiful creatures can be just as rewarding as keeping one – if not more so. C&R is not only rewarding, it’s also sustainable: allowing that fish to grow and breed means there will be more/bigger fish for you to catch in the future!

If fish are destined for release, it’s best to keep them in the water throughout the process, but wanting to hold them up for a few quick photos first is understandable. If preparing for the latter, keep the fish off the hot deck to avoid burning it, and make the photo session quick (unlike what you see on many fishing shows!). Support the kingfish along its length with pre-wetted hands and avoid holding them in the gills. I always lower my fish back into the water, then hold their tail to ensure they swim away healthily.

If you keep your fish, take good care of it. First, bleed it properly, then ice it down, and be sure to use all the meat afterwards. Kingfish provide a lot of potential food, so think about this when considering taking more than one home. Their thick, pearl-pink flesh makes amazing sashimi, and the head and wings are very tasty when smoked.

So, a great work-out followed by great memories and maybe a delicious feed afterwards – what more could an addicted angler want?