b'KINGFISH LIVE BAITSWithout a doubt the best way to tangle with a kingfish is to deploy a live bait.The NZ and World Record 52kg kingfish taken on 15kg line was caught on a live kahawai off Tauranga.If you head out and come across a school of kahawai or trevally on the surface, there is a good chance a kingie or several are below them.Use a lure or small bait with hook to catch a kahawai or trevally, even try foul hooking one with a treble hook will do and send the live bait down on a 24kg ledger rig under the school of baitfish.A second livie can be used under a balloon on the surface.Keep the live bait(s) close to the baitfish, watch the surface activity and below on the sounder.Move the boat slowly when needed to keepcloser to the schooling fish.Overhead lever drag reels are best as you want the live bait in free spool with the clicker on for that strike.Make sure CJ snagged this big mulletyou also use a circle or recurve hook on a stickbait treble in thetoo, these are the best for hooking in Kaipara to put back outthe mouth if you want to release the fish under a balloon. unharmed after a few quick photos.This kingfish smashed a mullet live bait within seconds of it being deployed off the beach in the Kaipara harbour.12FISHING IN GODZONE JAN/FEB 2023'