Ask any Sydney angler about their favourite fish and yellowtail kingfish will be near the top of the list. Hard-hitting, fast and stubborn, kingies are the ultimate light-tackle sportfish, and they are a Wahoo speciality. Here is how to catch kingfish in Sydney: where to find them, when they fire, and the tactics that get them biting.
Where to Find Kingfish in Sydney
Kingfish love structure. Inside Sydney Harbour they hold around moorings, wharves, headlands and bommies, while offshore they patrol the reefs and washes like Long Reef and the Peak. Anywhere there is bait, current and hard structure is worth a look. Have a read of our favourite Sydney fishing spots, and our kingfish charters run straight to the ground that is holding fish on the day.
The Best Time to Catch Kingfish
You can catch resident kingfish around Sydney all year, but the run really switches on from September to December, and the bigger models turn up through the warmer months. Water temperature and bait movements are the big drivers, so timing your trip to the season pays off. See our guide to Sydney’s fishing seasons for the full picture.
Live Bait for Kingfish
Nothing beats a lively bait for a big kingie. Top choices are yellowtail scad (yakkas), slimy mackerel, squid and garfish, fished down near the structure on a balloon, a downrigger or a light sinker. Fresh, frisky bait is everything, so it pays to catch it fresh on the day. Our guide on catching live bait covers the how-to.
Hook a big kingie near structure and hold on, they will do everything to bust you off.
Jigging and Stickbaiting for Kingfish
When the kingfish are deep and fired up, jigging is deadly. Mechanical and slow-pitch jigs worked over reefs and bommies draw savage strikes, and it is a real workout. Up top, casting stickbaits and poppers at surface-feeding fish is as exciting as fishing gets. Our jigging charters are built exactly for this.
Landing, Limits and Eating
Kingfish fight dirty, so lock up the drag and try to turn their heads away from the structure before they reef you. In NSW the minimum legal length is 65cm, and big breeding fish are best released to keep the fishery healthy. Limits can change, so check the current NSW DPI rules before you head out. On the plate, kingfish is superb: firm white flesh that is unbeatable as sashimi, or simply grilled. Bleed and ice your fish straight away for the best eating.
Ready to tangle with a kingie? Send us an enquiry or book a kingfish charter, and we’ll get you connected.
