JE Wilds has been targeting land-based kingfish on topwater lures for most of his life. Luckily for us, he’s here to divulge his top five tips for targeting big greenbacks off the bricks.

There is something special about our homeland of New Zealand; we are known on the world scale for having the biggest kingfish around, with specimens recorded over 1.7m in length and 50kg in weight. On most of the North Island’s east and west coasts, especially from mid-way upwards, you will find good numbers of kingfish, but the top of the South Island and other southern regions also have some good fishing opportunities.

Kingfish are a super tough species that generally fight dirty, heading for the nearest structure under the sea surface. If you’ve ever hooked into one, whether from a boat or land-based, there’s a high chance you’ve encountered their dirty fighting skills. Within seconds of a hook-up, they head for the nearest structure where your line often gets cut through.

To catch a kingfish from the rocks is a very challenging task, but extremely rewarding for many reasons. Land-based game anglers spend months on end chasing these brutes from the ledges each season, always looking for that ‘unicorn’ giant fish that seems to be just out of reach.