Species › Australia & New Zealand › Yellowtail Kingfish

Saltwater

Yellowtail Kingfish

Seriola lalandi · kingfish, kingie, haku

Water temp
63–75°F
Peak season
Dec–Mar
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
114 lb 10 oz (52 kg)
Yellowtail Kingfish (Kingfish.jpg)

Photo: Nholtzha · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Yellowtail kingfish are long, powerful jacks with a dark green back, a yellow lateral stripe and a bright yellow tail, found in temperate and subtropical seas of the Southern Hemisphere and in the northern Pacific. In Australia and New Zealand they gather around reef pinnacles, islands, channel markers, fish farms and harbor structure in 10–300 ft of water, hunting squid, mackerel, piper and kahawai. New Zealand's Three Kings Islands and White Island produce fish well over 80 lb (36 kg). Known for ferocious strikes and unstoppable dives into structure, they are the fish that breaks tackle and anglers alike.

Typical size10–25 lb (4.5–11 kg); 30–40 in
Trophy50 lb+ in Australia; 70 lb+ in New Zealand
Table fareExcellent — firm, rich flesh ideal for sashimi and grilling

Where & when

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Kingfish move inshore as water passes 65°F (18°C) in late spring and peak from December to April; northern New Zealand and southern Queensland fish longest, while southern waters are a summer fishery.

Three Kings Islands, New ZealandRemote northern islands; the world's biggest kingfishWhite Island (Whakaari), New ZealandBay of Plenty volcano with legendary big kingsSydney Harbour, AustraliaUrban kingfish fishery around markers, wharves and reefs

How to catch

Topwater stickbaits and poppersCast large stickbaits and poppers to current-washed pinnacles, reef edges and feeding schools and work them with long sweeps and pauses. Kingfish erupt on the lure; keep winding through the strike and lift the rod only when the line comes tight.
Live-baiting under a balloon or downriggerSlow-troll or drift a live kahawai, slimy mackerel or squid on a 7/0–10/0 hook near markers, wharves and reef edges, set 10–60 ft down under a balloon or on a downrigger. Lock the drag heavy and turn the fish before it reaches structure.

Gear

Rod7–8' heavy spin rated PE 5–8, or 5½' 50 lb-class jig rod
Reel10000–14000 spinning or 30–50 lb lever-drag
Line60–80 lb braid; 80–130 lb fluorocarbon or mono leader

Lures

large stickbaitspoppersknife and slow-pitch jigs

Baits

live kahawai or yellowtail scadlive slimy mackerellive squidpiper (garfish)

Regulations

Australia's states and New Zealand's MPI set minimum sizes and low daily limits for kingfish, and NSW requires a recreational license; fish-farm exclusion zones and marine reserves also apply. Many anglers release large fish.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 114 lb 10 oz (52 kg) — Tauranga, New Zealand, 1987 (Mike Godfrey). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What tackle do you need for yellowtail kingfish?

Heavier than you think. A 60–80 lb braid outfit on a large spinning or lever-drag reel with a 100 lb-plus leader is standard for fish around structure, because kingfish dive for the nearest reef, chain or marker the instant they are hooked. For smaller harbor fish in open water you can drop to 30–50 lb, but hooking a 30 kg fish on that gear near a marker usually ends badly.

Bite forecast — Yellowtail Kingfish

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Yellowtail Kingfish.

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