Best Months
May – Jul
Best Time
Dawn is the prime window; also productive in the afternoon when bait holds near the reef top
Tide
Incoming tide fires up kings around reef structure; early morning run-in is best
Top Locations
63 regions
How to Catch Yellowtail Kingfish
Incoming tide fires up kings around reef structure; early morning run-in is best
Dawn is the prime window; also productive in the afternoon when bait holds near the reef top
Moderate swell, clear water, 18–22°C; kings are most aggressive in cooler months (winter aggregations)
Rocky headlands, offshore reefs and pinnacles, FADs, moorings, kelp-covered drop-offs
Cast poppers across the current, work back with aggressive long pulls; slow-pitch jigs over the reef are deadly at dawn
Set your drag before casting — kings bolt straight for the reef from the strike. Light drag means a cut-off on the reef edge within seconds.
Best Regions by Month
Seasonal ratings across all Australian regions. Click a region to see the full calendar.
Working metal jigs up and down in the water column over reefs or structure.
Presenting live baitfish (yakkas, mullet, mackerel) to attract larger predators.
Methodical jigging technique using specially designed slow-pitch jigs over reef structure.
Casting cup-faced poppers to create surface commotion targeting aggressive surface feeders.
Casting and working walk-the-dog style stickbaits on the surface or just subsurface.