A frisky live bait is usually the best way to attract a kingfish bite. The panicky vibrations emitted by the distressed baitfish (sorry little guys, it’s nothing personal!) travel through the water and are picked up by the lateral lines of nearby predators, drawing them in for a closer look. Seeing an apparently injured baitfish flashing and thrashing around usually entices kingfish into chasing and biting.
But first we must catch some live bait, so this aspect must be covered first…
GOOD VIBRATIONS
Kahawai and trevally (especially the bigger models), put out the strongest tail beats, followed by koheru, and then mackerel. Sprats (yellow-eyed mullet) and piper trail the field. However, the power of the ‘prop’ doesn’t always equate to a bait’s desirability, just how well they draw kings in from further away. Ultimately, if kingfish don’t like what they see, they won’t eat the bait.
