General Description and habitat:
This large game fish can attain a length of 120cm, and a weight of 15kg’s. Although this species is a shoaling fish, the shoals of queen fish tend to be smaller in number than most other game fish species, with most shoals numbering about 15 to 20 individuals.

The queen fish has a very deep body, and it is this large surface area which it using to good effect when fighting long and hard, once hooked. The colouration of the queen fish varies with age, but most fish are prominently silver, with yellowish bellies and fins. The flanks of the queen fish hold very distinct large spots, or blotches, which make the species easily recognizable. The queen fish has a very large mouth which is void of any sharp teeth, and in their place the queen fish has board bands of fine sandpaper type teeth.

Known as a very clean but hard fighter, this species will generally start the fight by trying to dislodge the hook by jumping into the air, after which the queen fish generally changes tactics and deep sounds in an effort to free itself. This species will stay clear of reef during a fight, and hence its reputation for being a clean fighter.

The queen fish is generally found around areas with good structure, especially wrecks and large bouys.

Angling Tackle and Tactics:

Fly:

Fast action 9ft 10wht rods, matched with a large arbor direct drive reel is the standard set up. This species can either be targeted at a depth of between 10 and 30 meters of water, or in same instances on the surface. Depending on the specific situation either a fast sinking line in the 500 to 700 grain range, or an intermediate line, can be used.

When targeting queen fish, there will often be a very small area in which the fish will be holding. In most cases the hardest part of targeting the queen fish will be getting the fly into the strike zone for the maximum amount of time. One of the most product methods is to use the deep dredging technique over a reef or wreck, but timing of the drift and cast is vital, to get the fly into the small strike zone in the leeward current side of the structure. When queen fish are holding on surface structure, such as marker bouys, a floating line can be used to make accurate casts to the structure.

Due to the queen fish’s diet of mainly slow moving crustaceans such as swimming prawns and mantis shrimp, the queen fish can often be outsmarted by using a slower retrieve than most other salt water species. Smaller bait fish tend to be an important part of the queen fish’s diet, such as maasbanker, and this knowledge can be used when choosing an appropriate bait fish imitation fly. Flies that tend to produce the best results are polar fiber bait fish patterns, clousers and deceivers. Natural colours as well as chartreuse over white and pink over white also work well. When on the surface flippers and poppers will produce strikes. These flies are best fished in the 1/0 to 3/0 range.

Leader set up is a simple 5 -7 ft leader, of 20 – 25lb fluorocarbon. The queen fish can be leader shy and a fluorocarbon leader works best with no piano wire.

Comprehensive tackle lists, compiled for each unique Salt water fishing area, will be sent out on request, rob@tourettefishing.com, or on booking.

Conventional:

There are many ways to target queen fish using conventional tackle methods. Slow fished live baits over prominent structure, such as wrecks works best. The live baits should be small, such as massbanker in the 5 to 10cm range. The leader set-up is vital when targeting queenfish on conventional tackle. The best set-up being a fluorocarbon leader, and no piano wire, as the keen eyesight of the queen fish can make this species leader shy.

Browse through the following article for more on the subject:

• Inhaca Island and the Realm of Hells Gates

For details on the areas Tourette Fishing targets Queenfish, go to the following pages:

• Inhaca Island Kayak Safari