Targeting Kings around Trev/Kahawai workups
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Popper and Topwater Fishing
Forum Description: If you're into a bit of action on top, this is the forum for you
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=107581
Printed Date: 05 Jun 2026 at 9:32pm
Topic: Targeting Kings around Trev/Kahawai workups
Posted By: Reelgood
Subject: Targeting Kings around Trev/Kahawai workups
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2015 at 5:58pm
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I have limited experience with stickbaiting aside from catching fish around channel markers. I see people talking about catching Kingies on stickbaits around Trevally and Kahawai workups when they're feeding on krill but I'm yet to succeed... What is the best plan of attack for this? Boat position, where to put your cast etc etc? Any pointers would be appreciated! |
Replies:
Posted By: strx7
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 4:01pm
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Keen to hear from anyone who has done this too. I have seen some MONSTEROUS kingi's in this type of situation, and they have harassed kahawai and Trevally caught, we trolled said kahawai as livebaits but got no interest from them what so ever.... The kingi's seemed to be hanging around in the middle of the schools, not on the outsides. |
Posted By: footey
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 4:13pm
| good question - i have struggled as well with this |
Posted By: jonocoogee
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 4:27pm
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I did this a couple of times with friend last year around the kahawai/trev schools, I found that the stickbait got more action away from school (50ish meters) then right near it, almost like a lost straggler fish which was injured and easy pickings. I found the kingies would spend a lot of time watching and then a switch would go and would all be in attack mode. So it could be a lot of casts waiting for them to hit one. Most of the time casting into the schools ended in jagged fish (nice to get some trevs for the plate.)Thats just my experience and by no means the gosbel but worth a try. ------------- TAS - Its a real disease |
Posted By: PE Pete
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 6:37pm
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I like to approach quietly & stay on the outside of the work up I figure most predatory fish like Kings are looking for the bait that breaks away from the main ball. I have also noticed the Kings will have a go at your stick bait several times IF you keep your action exactly the same after a follow which can be difficult to do due to angler excitement & adrenalin. I think when they see your bait acting in a constant manner they are more inclined to make that additional attack. ------------- Tight lines PE Pete |
Posted By: Espresso
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 8:20pm
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Are birds hitting the birds stickbaits, or are these Ky/Trev frenzies without the birds? |
Posted By: footey
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 9:02pm
| for me its been without the birds Expresso |
Posted By: strx7
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 10:03pm
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no birds, just washing machine like work ups of trevs and kahawai munching krill. and as Jono found, casting into the schools equals lots of foul hooked fish. might try working a big lure away from the school and see how it goes. |
Posted By: Espresso
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2015 at 8:35am
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Ah, so more surface feeding Ky and Trevs rather than workups as such with birds, dolphins etc. Most of the time when seeing fish surface feed on krill I find they are focussed on that, and often not being hassled by kingies. The spray seen most often that looks like a kingie smashing them in my experience is simply the fish reacting to any change in water pressure from their fellow fish around them, not a predator. However yes a good distance away from the school I have found predators lurking. |
Posted By: Reelgood
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2015 at 12:57pm
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Thanks for the replies! Turns out theres an article on exactly this by Tony Orton in the latest fishing mag. He says to cast over the school and work the lure back through them, not exactly what I was expecting... I guess the key when you do that is to use single hooks so you dont snag as many trevs. |
Posted By: Cheeko
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2015 at 4:52pm
I have tried a few times for not a lot of luck either although my first decent king on a stick bait at the back of the mercs was caught casting amongst a big KY school. There were more kings in amongst them and we got another good fish on a small trev Live baiting under the school and saw big kings busting up in amongst the school at times. I guess each situation is likely to be different with no hard and fast rules about what to do and not to do 
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Posted By: MATTOO
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2015 at 9:26pm
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I think also to be aware of here is they may be pushed up to the surface for a range of reasons and that wether they are feeding or under pressure to be there or even just mooching in volume around structure has to be taken into account. These observations may also help you determine the positioning of your bait/tool as described above. ------------- Still cruising in my now sweetas pimped out Southern 755 HT0! |
Posted By: johnog
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2015 at 9:19pm
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i have been fishing using stickbaits for a few years now and this is what i have found that works for me around trev schools. Don't give up, I have gone days of casting without a bite, when u get them on the bite u cant miss, and you cant beat surface strikes
You need to work all the trev schools, there will be one that has kings in it, sometimes the smallest school that everyone goes past Dont drive through the school this will just push them down! try to work schools that others arnt working, i find i have the best days when no other boats are around. Jigging can help, sometimes the kings will be down 20-30m and the jigs will bring them up, watch your sounder putting a huge livebait under a balloon, and casting around it can work well. the last year i have been using the more expensive hand made lures but i think im going to go back to using the shimano orcas they are harder to work in chop but have caught better fish on them, or it could be im just having a bad year on average you catch less kings but when you do catch them they are bulls |