Reel Screamer.

January 24th 2018

Live bait clearly makes a massive difference when targeting the Manukau kings.  Cut-baits very occasionally work and stick-baits do have their days . . .  but those are when the waters are clearer than their current gravy brown hue.  So if you want a serious chance at these awesome fish, you have to get some livies in the tank. . .  and that can be a mission in itself.  On our last trip we spent 4 hours chasing the little buggers down.  The usual inner harbour haunts proved barren and with just one solitary fish we opted to shoot out over the bar and try our luck in the open ocean.  After a lot of time, kms and fuel we rustled up 10 small jack macks.  It proved to be a harder task than catching the kingfish itself!  There’s certainly a lot to be learned here. ( Isn’t there always?).

Back in the harbour we had just 2 hours of the dropping tide remaining and as the minutes slowly ticked away it was looking like we were heading for a very sorry session.  But with the outbound tide literally about to turn, I had a solid bite that sent the reel screaming and jolted us from our jaded state.  Counting down the obligatory 10 seconds to let the fish swallow the bait, I wound up the drag and set the hooks home.  Boom! – the fight was on.  Although the water was shallow, there was no structure to be concerned of, so I sat back and enjoyed a blistering fight.  Like many fish, some kings give up easy, but some go hard out!  This guy was one of the latter and a feisty 5 minute scrap ensued before he was grabbed by the tail and whipped safely onto the deck.  At 9kg he was still just a little-un and I’m hanging out to connect with one of the big fellas that I know are lurking out there.  Maybe this weekend I’ll get the chance to find out?