King Threadfin – a great light tackle sportfish!

King Threadfin (Threadfin Salmon)

With the warmer weather just around the corner, it’s time to start looking around some of those flats, drains and deeper holes in your local estuary or river system for King Threadfin, otherwise known as Threadfin Salmon.

Colour, depth and size of lures and flies can make a difference when targeting Threadfin.
Sometimes Threadies will eat any lure or fly you throw at them without hesitation, but then there are days when they can be very fickle, especially when they are feeding on Jelly Prawns.

• As a general rule, if the water clarity is low and discoloured (as it usually is where threadfin live), bright fleuro colours do seem to be more effective.
• Use a lure or fly that will sink to the depth they are feeding in, i.e.
  o A shallow running, floating hard body lure up on the flats and drains, or a fly with bead chain eyes.
  o A soft vibe would be my first choice when fishing for threadfin in deeper water, or a fly with lead eyes on a sinking line.
• Lures and flies in the 90mm size range seem to get the most bites when it comes to threadfin. Apart from Jelly prawns, most of what they eat is around the 90mm mark: baitfish, Banana Prawns etc

In my book, Threadfin are right up there with the best when it comes to light tackle sportfish, and not a bad table fish. Remember, fish for the future:

• Keep only enough for your immediate needs
• Handle any fish to be released with care. Get a quick photo and then get them back in the water as quickly as you can.

If we all do this we can enjoy sustainable fishing into the future.
John Haenke