Sydney Harbour Kingfish Fishing With Craig McGill
Kingfish tactics, baits, locations and more!
Fishing Sydney’s Iconic Waters For Kingfish
Sydney harbour is an incredible fishery, celebrated for its stunning marine landscape and thriving biodiversity. The harbour’s unique mix of sheltered bays, rocky outcrops, sandy flats, and deep channels creates a dynamic underwater ecosystem. These varied habitats are enriched by nutrient-rich tidal flows from the Pacific Ocean, supporting a vibrant marine food chain that attracts an incredible variety of fish species. From the clear waters around Middle Head to the lush seagrass beds near Watsons Bay, every corner of the harbour teems with aquatic life.
For anglers, Sydney Harbour offers unmatched opportunities to target a diverse range of fish, including iconic species like kingfish, mulloway, flathead, and bream. The harbour’s structure is ideal for all types of fishing, whether it’s chasing surface-feeding pelagics around harbour markers or jigging for reef-dwellers along deep ledges. Seasonal migrations bring additional species such as bonito and tailor, adding to the excitement. Whether casting a line from a quiet foreshore or venturing offshore from the harbour’s entrance, anglers are treated to world-class conditions that make every outing a new adventure.
To take advantage of the great harbour fishing, we have teamed up with Craig McGill, a icon of Sydney fishing and expert in catching the mighty Kingfish, our targeted species for the day!
Quick Facts
- Kingfish traps in the 1970s severely depleted Sydney Harbour’s population, wiping out up to 60%. Traps were banned in the mid-1990s from angler pressure and their numbers have since rebounded.
- Females are believed to reach maturity at around 75 cm in total length.
- They are a fast growing fish, reaching around 50 cm within their first year and over 1 meter within a few years.
- Kingfish are known to work together to herd and ambush prey, demonstrating strategic predatory behaviour.
- Sydney Harbour has both resident Yellowtail Kingfish and migratory populations that come and go for food and warmer waters.
Our Guide:
Craig McGill from Fishabout Sydney
Craig is a professional fishing guide with over four decades of experience, including a remarkable two-year journey fishing around Australia and numerous expeditions overseas. For the last 33 years, he has made Sydney Harbour his base, innovating techniques that are now widely adopted by fellow guides and anglers.
As a seasoned fishing photojournalist, Craig contributes to major national magazines and has a regular column in NSW Fishing Monthly. He also runs Fishabout Sydney Harbour, one of the premier fishing charters in the harbour, serving around 700 clients a year, including celebrities from the sports and entertainment world. With a strong media presence, Craig has appeared on TV programs, hosted radio segments, and produced best-selling fishing DVDs, all while sharing his passion for fishing with others.
Picking Our Location
Launch: We started from the Mosman Rowing Club then went right into catching bait and then on to fishing.
Spots 1-3: First up was chasing bait, targeting both squid and yakkas at known bait grounds in the harbour.
Spot 4: From there we moved to our first fishing location near Bottle & Glass Point – catching our first king of the day.
Spot 5: We then shot across the harbour to Clifton Gardens, no fish but a strong strike that we missed.
Spot 6: Next we moved to North Head and here it was king after king with 6 fish in under a hour.
Spot 7: To close out the day we moved over to the marker near the sheds and landed one last king.
Yellowtail Kingfish
Seriola Lalandi
Top Target Species
The Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi) is a sought-after species in Sydney Harbour, known for its streamlined body and vibrant yellow tail. Renowned for its strength and speed, it provides a thrilling challenge for anglers, often putting up a fierce fight when hooked.
These fish are commonly found around the harbour’s reefs, wrecks, and deepwater structures, where they hunt for baitfish. Yellowtail Kingfish can be targeted using a variety of techniques, including live bait, lures, and soft plastics, making them a rewarding catch for anglers looking to experience the best of Sydney’s fishing.
Common species found in Sydney Harbour
Yellowfin Bream
Acanthopagrus Australis
Dusky Flathead
Platycephalus Fuscus
Tailor
Pomatomus Saltatrix
Ideal Gear For Catching Kingfish On The Harbour
Kingfish fishing can be tricky, you can go from catching a few rats to a monster at any moment. Having the right gear to tackle both is ideal if you want to land a monster.
Rods: 7 ft medium-heavy power(15kg-24kg) rods.
Reels: 8000 sized spinning reels
Line: 50lb braid with 50lb leader
Bait: Yakkas and squid (live and portioning a live squid for bait)
Popular techniques in the harbour
Whilst there are many techniques and style for catching kingfish, Craig did a great job of serving up 5 different fresh baits techniques that worked a treat. We caught at least one fish with each different presentation.
All rods were set up with a running sinker rig.
Setup one: Live Yakka hooked towards the tail end (produced 1 king)
Setup two: Live squid with a single hook towards its back fins or trunk (produced 2 kings and load of bites)
Setup three: Portioned a live squid, using its head (produced 1 kings and a load of bites)
Setup four: Portioned a live squid, using its guts and oozing ink (produced 3 kings and the most bites)
Setup Five: Portioned a live squid, using its body cut long ways (produced 1 king and bycatch)
What’s on offer throughout the year
Spring
Kingfish, Bonito, Salmon, Tailor
Summer
Kingfish, Amberjack, Samson Fish, Flathead, Bream
Autumn
Kingfish, Jewfish, Snapper, Big Flathead, Big Tailor, Frigate Mackerel
Winter
Kingfish, Trevally, Luderick, John Dory
Top tips from Craig on kingfish fishing Sydney Harbour
What’s the number one mistake most anglers make when targeting kingfish in Sydney Harbour, and how can they fix it?
Not putting in the time to catch squid. A lot of anglers panic if they haven’t got squid in the first hour, wrongly thinking that they have to catch kingfish early in the morning. They fall back on yellowtail — game over.
What are your top three go-to techniques for consistently hooking kingfish, and when do you use each one?
Technique mainly varies with season. In the cooler months kings prefer live squid (arrows) and cuttlefish. In summer cut squid from large southern calamari seem to work better although they will still take a live squid. In late autumn kings get weird and like to take small unweighted pieces of squid amongst a squid cube burley trail. Lures, mainly SP stickbaits also work well in the warmer water.
If you could only use one bait for kingfish in the Harbour, what would it be and why?
One bait under the heading of cephalopods, so either southern calamari , arrows or mourning cuttles, depending on season . If I could only choose it would probably be cuttles but it’s a close race.
Are there any specific lures or soft plastics that outperform others, and what’s the best way to work them for a bite?
Soft plastic stickbaits are way ahead of any other lure – I like slug-go brand. They work best on a single offset worm hook unweighted. If you have to weight them for deep or fast moving water then put the weight a meter ahead of the lure. If you weight the lure itself you will kill the action that makes them so deadly effective. They are worked in an erratic, fast, stop-start retrieve.
How do the kingfish behave differently throughout the seasons in Sydney Harbour, and what adjustments should anglers make?
The main variation is location. Summer fish tend to be more in the lower reaches and winter fish more upstream middle harbour and the main harbour. Summer fish are a mix of small and big fish. Big summer fish like cut squid baits from big southern calamari (especially the heads and guts) while the smaller fish can often be caught up on the surface using lures. Small kings are mostly baitfish eaters while big kings feed deep on squid, cuttle, and silver biddies. In winter concentrate upstream using live squid baits.
How do weather conditions, tide changes, and moon phases affect kingfish feeding patterns in the Harbour?
Weather, moon and tide do not affect Kings as much as it would some other fish like mulloway for example. Having said that, big kings do like strong water movement. If I had to pick a moon it would be the new moon but I don’t get too hung up on it. Tides are more about where you are fishing. You are generally looking for a tide that is pushing onto the best face of structure so that it creates a rolling pressure wave — that’s the sweet spot. Depending on where you are fishing, this sweet spot can be either on an incoming or outgoing tide.
What are the best types of structure to fish for kingfish in Sydney Harbour, and do you have a favourite spot (without giving away all your secrets)?
The best structure is where a hard reef or headland edge meets a sand or mud bottom. If you are after big fish 50ft or more depth seems to be the magic mark. They also like wrecks and channel marker buoys.
How long would you give a spot a go before moving on to the next one?
This depends on a number of factors. If there are pickers I will move almost straight away. If a spot has been fishing well in the week prior then I will persevere longer, and even more so if I can see fish on the sounder. Some spots are feeding runs and some spots are holding spots. Fish at feeding spots generally tend to be on the move so you can justify spending longer at that spot. At holding spots if you cant see fish on your sounder then give it half an hour. You can’t always assume that because you can’t see them on the sounder that they aren’t somewhere close by. If you can see fish on the sounder then give it an hour.
What’s the ideal rod, reel, and line setup for targeting Harbour kingfish, especially for stopping those unstoppable freight trains?
I use eggbeater gear and run 50lb braid and a 50lb leader. You could go heavier but you will get less bites on the days where fish are fussy. The most important consideration is picking a reel with an ultra smooth drag capable of exerting pressure to suit your line class. I’ve got a nylon loop mounted on the boats gunwale. Once I’ve tied my rig I will test it by hooking the hook through the loop and then putting the whole rig under as much pressure as I can exert by hand. This will show up any weak spots before you hook a big king.
What’s the most epic kingfish battle you’ve had in Sydney Harbour, and what made it so special?
The most epic battle was a 130cm king caught by 10yo customer in Vaucluse bay. The fight went for 25 minutes and the poor kid was exhausted but wouldn’t give up. At one point the fish ran 80 meters to the rocks and managed to cut through one strand of the double. It then ran around a channel marker poll and I had to chase it around with the boat, finally landing it 200 meters from where we first hooked it.
Outside of Kingfish, what can people expect to catch with you and Fishabout throughout the year?
Below are the different species of fish that can be caught throughout the year.
Spring: kings, bonito, salmon, tailor.
Summer: kings, amberjack, samson fish, flathead, bream
Autumn: kings, jewfish, snapper, big flathead, big tailor, frigate mackerel
Winter: kings, trevally, luderick, john dory
Photo gallery of our day on the water with Fishabout Sydney and Craig McGill
Get out and fish the Harbour
If your ready to experience Kingfish fishing in the harbour and all it has to offer, dig into all the information provided from our trip, along with the experts tips provided by Craig – Your sure to have a great day out on the water.
Better yet, book Craig for yourself! Whether you’re a local or visiting Sydney for the first time, Craig’s tailored trips offer a unique and unforgettable adventure on the water. Book your trip today and see what you can catch!
I have to say this was an amazing experience and day out on the harbour, Craig taught me incredible tactics for catching squid in addition to landing 8 Kingfish throughout the harbour. The day was full of nonstop action and great conversations about the uniqueness of the harbour and all the great fishing it has to offer.
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