Thread: Favourite Kahawai Lure

Having spent a couple of weeks fishing down the Sounds and for the first time in a long time a good amount of time was spent targeting Kahawai . I was wondering if technology and times have changed as to the best Kahawai lure to use .
All I’ve ever done is use something shiny and it seems to work , but is there a specific lure to buy and use ?

hex chrome with red tag, get rid of the treble hooks.

the old simple white plastic with double hooks just works and well

seen guys swear by these glass eye lures https://www.tacotackle.com.au/produc...50562060878055

I just use whatever random spinner looking thing marine deals has going for cheap.

I have caught them with soft baits before just need to cycle through a couple depending on what's around

As @Barry the hunter says the old white/off-white/almost greeny-yellow 2 hook jobs, or standard $7 'kahawai lure' from the local Ware-Whare work well. REcent years have mostly used softbaits with awesome success. Have seen small double ring-spanners used around Whakatane, and even beer can tabs.

An old koro I fished with in the 1990's made simple top-water lures with a piece of broom handle that had a hole drilled through and 100lb trace with a hook at the correct end (a hard bead to protect the knot) and swivel at the other end. He also had a collection of cutlery modified into lures (dating from his childhood pinching them from his grandmum - silver? - to modern ones that the wife had 'misplaced').

When trolling through a workup I always swore by these hard green plastic lures on a 2mm thick cord type handline, when the bite was fast you could shake the KY off easily & toss it back in quickly.

https://www.marine-deals.co.nz/other...BoC0x0QAvD_BwE

It depends on how I am fishing...If casting, generally I use a classic Zed....they come on varying weights to suit the rod you are using, and some have different colour shiny stuck to them...but anything shiny and heavy with maybe a bit if red seems to work....but if trolling I use a fish shaped lure (diver) or a popper but again shiny ....but this is only because i find the Zeds tend to twist up my line too much while trolling..

I enjoy making my own lures. Clear part of biro pen barrel with a couple of bits of red Xmas tinsel while trolling works. Bubbles stream from the tube. For casting, I’ve successfully used metal handles from old cutlery (junk shop stuff). Choose ones that have an approximate long tear shape. Twist slightly to add wobble effect.
In the 50’s my old man used slices of car headlight reflector that he weighted by adding solder to the concave ‘inside’ arc.

Another vote for the white plastic ones with the double hook.

Kahawai will often spit a single.

Trebles can be very nasty when trying to remove them from a fish which has inevitably found it's way to the bottom of the boat and is thrashing around.

Another vote for the white plastic ones with the double hook.

Kahawai will often spit a single.

Trebles can be very nasty when trying to remove them from a fish which has inevitably found it's way to the bottom of the boat and is thrashing around.

yes trebles are nasty I always make sure my hooks are sharp just a little points file works well

squish the barbs down on the trebles. Much better

Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

I enjoy making my own lures. Clear part of biro pen barrel with a couple of bits of red Xmas tinsel while trolling works. Bubbles stream from the tube. For casting, I’ve successfully used metal handles from old cutlery (junk shop stuff). Choose ones that have an approximate long tear shape. Twist slightly to add wobble effect.
In the 50’s my old man used slices of car headlight reflector that he weighted by adding solder to the concave ‘inside’ arc.

I remember Dad using a bit of shiny chewing gum wrapper around a bare hook, caught 7 big Kahawai and a snapper on a yacht delivery trip from Whangarei to Auckland, those were the days...

Kahawai fishing and memories....I was taken out on a boat over Nelson way and we stated trolling...I caught a small Kahawai / mullet under 11 inches long and without thinking dehooked it and tossed it back (too small in my mind) Mate who owned the boat yelled why did I throw it back- it was a good one...I laughed and said if you want good ones come with me surfcasting next time you are over my way.... A few months later he did...I took him to a river mouth and we started casting....Even by my standards it was a good response fast hook ups, bigger than normal fish, not shy and plenty about...inside 20 minutes or so we had about 6 between us all of them proper whoppers..... The look on his face after the first one was awesome and it took him days to stop grinning like a muppet...

Caught a couple off the beach on squid last week