Retrieves

There are a number of retrieves that you can do but most will depend on the type of fish you are after. Here is a list of retrieves you can do broken down by species

 

Snapper

The do nothing retrieve. Snapper love falling or stationary flies. I tend to let my fly settle on the bottom give it a couple of small twitches and then count to around 20 seconds then give another couple of twitches or medium retrieve. There are times when they take on a steady retrieve but this is rare. Often this may happen at night when they are less shy.

 

Kingfish

Experimentation on what works for you but I have used a slow steady to medium retrieve when blind fishing but I have heard of a stationary fly also working. Talk to different people and you will get a different perspective.

 

Trevally

Slow steady retrieves to figure of 8 to even swinging. Mine have both been a slow to medium retrieve along current lines or through a burley trail

 

Kahawai

Medium to fast retrieve. I have caught most of mine on a medium retrieve. If you are getting tail nips strip faster.

 

Gurnard

Bouncy retrieve hard on the bottom.  So having a fly line and fly that sinks right to bottom and stays there while you retrieve.

 

Flounder

Twitched slowly in front of its face. Flounder will pounce it. Size of fly needs to be small as in size 8 small.

 

The best retrieves are where you mix up the retrieve with pauses and varying the speed. Imagine you are dangling a string for a kitten and teasing it to get it to pounce. Retrieving is much the same.

Blind Chasing kings

A lot has been written about chasing kings on the fly in shallow water. Most telling you it’s a waste of time unless you can see them. This is a very visual and rewarding way to catch them but I am here to tell you that yes you can catch kings blind fishing. Here is the way I go about it.

 

First just a quick bit about gear. I have a predator rod with a sage reel. These reals are good as they are sealed but the drag is not massive. However it is the line that is the most important. A sink tip can work where I fish but a full sink is probably best. The line I use has a 30ft intermediate sink tip so really acts more like a full intermediate.

 

Next is location. This will be off a good set of rocks. Normally a point or somewhere with a close edge with faster current moving past it. Burley up with a can of cat food. Yes that’s right I said cat food. It's cheap and it works. You can either take the can and open it by the water but make sure to take it home with you, or you can freeze it in a bag.

Try to time it so it has time to work before you get to prime time which is normally around mid-tide so I normally start about 1hr after high.

Someone recently asked me if burley works on kings and yes it does if not directly. I have seen kings hanging off the back of a boat cruising around for morsels however will only take the most natural of presentations. I have also seen kings zooming around in the burley trails chasing baitfish. The main thing you are after is to bring in the baitfish which will then attract the kings and also hold them in the area. The kings that are there are on the feed and not cruising which gives you a lot more time to get the right presentation

Cast your fly out and count it down to the bottom. Depending on the spot this can be about 20-30 seconds then a medium to fast retrieve back. Vary the speed with pauses. I have caught 1 kingfish every season from one of my spots every year and it always the same. While stripping back to the surface to recast. All rat kings and all right on mid tide.

The best months to try this is normally from January to the end of April but is still possible to catch them outside this time.

 

Good luck

 

Finding Clean water

Let's face it if the fish can't see your fly its game over. Finding clean water in harbours can be difficult at times. Especially in the day when the wind has stirred up the shallows. Here are some things to consider

 

1. Fish first thing in morning before the wind gets up
2. Fishing high tide
3. The incoming is cleaner than the outgoing
4. Offshore winds are better than onshore
5. Wind direction v tide direction
6. How muddy is the estuary
7. Fish closer to the mouth. The higher you go in the harbour the murkier the water