We are all looking forward to a great Summer season ahead. Let’s hope we don’t have too much rain, as we did last year.

It kept the kingfish season on hold, so everyone has their fingers crossed that things stay dry enough that the kingies move into Botany Bay and surrounding waters to give us all a chance of hooking into a few.

I plan to make trips every Wednesday and Friday just to focus on these great fish, either south from the Hacking River or north from Botany Bay.

Kingfish give many anglers a great chance to target a tough sport fish close to home without travelling miles to sea.

Kings can be found along our coast all year in smaller numbers but build as the warmer weather hits, with good fish moving into our bays and harbours when water quality allows.

Three key factors come into play in my plans when heading after kingfish.

First is the weather, for safety reasons, while No 2 is the right gear (never fish too light) and the third is bait or lure selection, and this is up to the angler on the day.

Plan A is to find bait first, like squid and yellowtail. Kelp beds are around the lower ends of all Sydney waterways.

Most squid I catch are in 2m-5m of water over kelp and if you drop anchor and start a berley trail in this same area you will also find yellowtail and if, you are lucky, slimy mackerel.

Put the time in to find good bait spots; spend a day per season finding these locations and you will achieve better results on all trips because you plan ahead.

Kingfish will hold along our coast and move from day to day. I always say never to expect them to be where you found them yesterday, but it’s usually a good starting point.

What else will be on offer over the next month?

Salmon will provide more fun on light gear than any other fish. Small metal lures are the key and of late I have great results on size 15 to 25 Bumpa-Bars worked at a medium pace through feeding schools. They are made right here in Sydney from marine grade stainless steel with solid rings and hooks.

Trolling around the school may help if the salmon are fussy and you can even work an unweighted soft stickbait through the fish.

The summer season is now here so plan your trip, think about the species that you want to target, gear up with the right lures, bait and tackle and be ready.