When they get to this size Kingfish are a real hand full.

After three solid days on the water I thought this fishing column was going to start along the lines of… “And they never spoke of Kingfish again”. You really begin to question your sanity when dealing with these giant pelagics and their almost mythical ways that at times have you doubting their actual existence. Yes they are an angling milestone, but one that is most definitely sent to test the very fibre of your being.  As angling sanity goes, these fish have the ability to wear you down.  Even so, there you sit at dawns first light full of hope as you squint at the balloons that hold the baits just a few feet below the surface. Minutes turn to hours, hours turn into days and days turn into a scheduled phone call to book your next session on the couch.  All but broken, you look up through sleep deprived eyes to see one of the balloons start to dance on the surface. Suddenly all three are jiggling about as one of the bait fish clears the water hotly pursued by an iridescent frame the size of small dolphin. Sleek, their translucent colours alive to the beat of a giant bright yellow tail, the pod of half a dozen giant kingfish erupt upon the bait. The sight is one of complete mayhem mixed with a touch of disbelief as one of the frantic baitfish is inhaled into the vacuum, the balloon pops free and the giant predator powers away with its prize.  This small window of action, an angling moment that cancels out any couch talk and makes you wish that others could experience the most brilliant flashes that fishing has to offer. But this is just the beginning as kingfish are noted not for their striking looks but more so their dogged fight. The 80lb line sang off the reel at a speed that was questionable of anything that swims. All you could do was hold on and pursue the fish by boat and hope the heavy drag setting would take its toll. All the time beaming with excitement, it was hard not to wonder about the rocks just a few hundred meters either side of where the battle was taking place.  As luck would have it the first, second and third run failed to reach the structure and amongst the puffing and snorting we managed to wear the giant fish down and bring it to the net. A quick swipe and the head was in, then the tail was grabbed and the giant fish was lifted on board.  Here we reach another of anglings finer moments were it all comes together as you arrive at your chosen moment. Such a striking fish, too fine a beast to kill and one that has taken you, the angler to a new level of respect and understanding is returned to the water to torment other fishos that follow the Kingfish path. And as for the line “they never spoke of Kingfish again”, well I guess that was lost in the excitement and joy that comes with finely landing one of these awesome giants. Kingfish will be a viable target along the coastline over the coming months as the weather warms and they become more active. While they are frustrating to say the least, the chance to catch one of these fish is more than worth the torment and anguish they inflict upon your psyche.