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  AKA: KG, spotted whiting, black whiting, South Australian whiting.
MINIMUM LEGAL SIZE: 27cm.
BAG/POSSESSION LIMIT: 20. Landed whole or as a carcass.
Note: a total bag/possession limit of 40 fish applies to all scale fish species.
The
biggest and best tasting of the whiting family, King George whiting is
an excellent sporting fish which can grow to a massive 72cm and 4.8kg
at around 15 years of age. Regarded by many as the finest eating of
Australian fish, it is the target of choice for many bay and estuary
anglers around Victoria’s coastline.
The best whiting fishing is
between November and January although catches in all locations vary
substantially from year to year, possibly due to environmental and
habitat conditions which determine the success of spawning and the
survival of eggs. Commercial fishing of King George whiting is
controlled with a limited number of licences and restrictions on
minimum size and equipment used. They are also one of the prime
recreational fishing targets particularly in Port Phillip Bay, Corner
Inlet/Nooramunga and Westernport Bay.
Seagrass is an important
habitat for the species and the maintenance and preservation of
seagrass beds has become the single most important factor determining
the continued abundance of this fish in Victorian waters. The
feasibility of developing an aquaculture industry for King George
whiting is currently being investigated in South Australia.
SIZE:
72cm and 4.8kg has been recorded however the average keepable size
caught in and around Victorian estuaries would be closer to 30-35cm.
WHERE:
Juveniles are found in bays, inlets, estuaries and other shallow,
sheltered coastal waters, usually close to seagrass beds. Adult fish
are thought to have an increasing preference for deeper channels and
gutters and a decreasing dependence on seagrass habitats.
TACKLE:
For the best sport use light tackle: 2-4kg line and a No.4 long shank
hook with the lightest sinker conditions allow, rigged as a running
sinker with a metre hook leader, or as a drop sinker on 0.5 metres of
line below a 1-metre leader. Many believe a darker, no reflective line
is better than clear nylon which might flash in the sunlight and spook
the whiting.
BAIT:
Whiting can be selective feeders and fresh, soft bait is undoubtedly
the best option. Nippers, pipi, mussel, skinned squid and live marine
worms are all effective.
BITE:
King George whiting often exhibit the classic and fast “nip-nip-nip”
bite and require constant line attention if they are to be hooked. Try
to gauge the size of the fish from the bite and then strike to set the
hook accordingly. They will often bite more readily when the bait is
being drawn slowly over the bottom.
EATING: A superb table fish, the King George whiting is easily filleted to avoid small bones. Possibly Australia’s best tasting fish.
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DID YOU KNOW:
Juvenile King George whiting remain in protected waters for 2-3 years
(18-37cm) before moving offshore to deeper waters. Data from studies
carried out by the Central Ageing Facility at the Marine and Freshwater
Resources Institute, Queenscliff, show the age structure of King George
whiting as follows:
1 year - 16-31cm, average 23cm
27cm - Minimum Legal Size
2 years - 18-39cm, average 29cm
3 years - 28-37cm, average 33cm
4 years - average 38cm.
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