Episode 509: Parramatta River Kayak Kingfish With Matthew Pham and Shroom

Matthew’s Parramatta Kingfish Tips

• Kingfish will take surface lures in Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River system even during the cooler months if you use the correct size lure for them. A little rain and some colour in the water doesn’t necessarily shut them down, either. Late Autumn and through winter sees the kingfish slow down and you’ll see less bust-ups, but they can be found deeper in the water at these times.
• The key is to find structure where there is also some water movement and once you’ve found the fish they can usually be targeted with topwater or subsurface soft plastics and hard bodies. Kings will push well up the Parramatta River system, but are also very common further downstream around the Harbour Bridge.
• Kingfish tend to slow down during the tide changes when there is slack water and you may reposition themselves when the tide begins to flow again in the opposite direction.
• It’s important to keep moving, searching edges and natural structures, rockwalls, boat hulls and moorings until you find fish. It’s less productive to stay in one place and wait for kingfish to come to you.
• Being on the water by first light is not a bad idea and being on the water a couple of hours before the turn of tide is productive. Matthew finds that days close to the full moon tend to be less productive for kingfish.
• Most kingfish in this system range from legal size to a metre or so, true monsters are extremely rare.

Matthew’s Kingfish Tackle

• If the fish are not biting freely Matthew finds a 2-4kg, 2500 size reel and 8lb braid with 8lb leader works for throwing very small and light lures.
• A 3-6kg rod coupled with a 3000 size deep spool reel is good when the fish are a bit larger or are
• For heavier fishing a 6-9kg rod capable of casting a 30g lure is a good option when the fish are around heavy structure and a little more stopping power is required.

Matthew’s Kingfish Fishing Lures

• The Bassday Suga Pen 70mm in colour HF119 is a great prawn-like imitation when the kingfish are a bit finicky in and around natural structure or when the fish are busting up but a little lure shy. A quick walk the dog initially with occasional pauses of 3-4seconds works well
• The 9” Lunker City Slug-go in chrome colour is a great lure for throwing around the shady side of boat hulls, casting past the boat and then retrieving parallel in long sweeps with pauses between. Matthew likes to fish these unweighted with a 6/0 worm hook with a treble stinger towards the tail, although most fish get hooked on the front worm hook.
• Nomad Riptide 105mm in natural colours is a great sinking stickbait that Matthew uses on the heavy gear, allowing it to sink deep and then ripping it back with fast, high rod twitches and quick pulses of winding. This is a great lure if the fish are not feeding convincingly as it can be worked fast or slow with lots of tip action or not.