I'm a little different than Shane. Trolling lures or baits when hooked up I tend to keep the drag tight but very steady IE no pump and wind. Drive off the reef area at a consistent speed (this will depend on how much line you have on the reel). So keep everything smooth and steady. The kingfish will (if you can keep them on the line long enough) start trying to pull opposite and away from you and not down into the reef. Keep an eye on how the line is leaving the spool and the line angle. it should slow down and you are now leading the fish away to safe ground. If all is going to plan and then suddenly the line starts leaving the spool in a mad rush up the drag as far as you dear because it is now realised what's going on and is making a mad dash back to the reef. This is what I do with light gear as well. Tend to loose most of them though as they are very dirty fighters. A good % straight away on the reef. A few after they get the idea that they are leaving the safety of the reef and I can't stop em and then there is the taxman. Don't kick yourself too much about it. Luck has a good deal to play with getting a good king on a reef. 

Muppet used torium 20 and heavy braid on a jig rod from memory, deployed mainly yellowtail mackeral close to yak, and coined the term “slay ride”. He fished and hopefully still fishes some pretty foul ground north of Auckland I know well. Is most successful kayak fisho I know, especially kings and jds. Wasn’t  a bad gurnard fisherman either when he applied himself. Dan would on the right day give hardyaker and myself a run for our money off here for gurnard.  Well maybe that would be stretching it a bit, as we are are pretty amazing at gurnard.  

Marlin season is hardly over … and colder it gets the more excited I get about another great season of the colder winter and early spring days of vintage kayak gurnard fishing, with my trusty 60 yr old Bakelite Alvey…. It’s now highlight of my fishing year, and those gurns are absolutely delicious.