Samsonfish are big, hard-fighting kingfish relatives that pull like a truck once hooked. Aussie anglers love them because they smash jigs and live baits and turn an ordinary reef session into a proper workout.
In Australian waters, samsonfish are mostly found around southern and western coasts, especially off WA, SA and parts of Victoria and Tasmania. They hang around deep reefs, wrecks, pinnacles and steep drop-offs, usually in offshore water from about 20 to well over 100 metres.
They feed on baitfish, squid and small reef species, and they are built to hunt fast. Samsonfish often sit mid-water or near structure, then charge up to belt a meal, especially when bait is stacked up over reefs and wrecks.
Tide changes usually fish best because moving water fires up bait and gets samsons roaming off the structure. Low light around dawn and dusk can help, but they will still chew through the middle of the day if bait is holding deep. Moderate wind can be handy if it creates a good drift over the reef, while too much wind makes it hard to stay on the fish. Smaller, manageable swell is usually better offshore, because it lets you work jigs properly and hold position without the boat rolling its guts out.
PE4 to PE6 jig gear or a solid overhead setup is a good starting point, with tough leader because these fish hit hard and dive straight back to structure. Knife jigs, big soft plastics and live baits all work, and a strong assist hook setup helps when they are eating mid-water. If they are shut down, slow-pitch jigs fished close to the reef can turn the day around.
Samsonfish are famous for brutal first runs, and plenty of anglers reckon they pull harder than a same-size yellowtail kingfish.