For example, in the summer Spanish Mackerel feed primarily on Glass minnows which derive from the hearing family of baitfish. Without a doubt Spanish mackerel are one of my all-time favourite fish to target. It can take some time to catch good live baits and keep them alive, but if there are fish on the reef you are fishing, you will find out very quickly if they are there. You can run straight mono if you desire and still have plenty enough line for most fish you encounter. try { Soft plastics rigged with a weedless…, […] ranging 15-20lb with a metre length of 30lb fluorocarbon leader. Fishing Information: Spanish mackerel are schooling fish that are popular to recreational anglers especially around piers. Until next time, stay safe and good luck. ... although I believe you can go much shorter if you combine your set up with a good length of wind on mono leader. I like to run no more than two setups when trolling for Spanish mackerel, but it’s perfectly fine to troll with one setup. Dead baits may not be as effective as live baits some days, but they are a very good alternative on days when you’re not able to catch good quality live baits. _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-inverted-source'); And if you didn’t catch how he rigged the haywire twist or the albright special, or how he rigged the live shrimp on the jighead, check out the videos below: Marlin, sailfish, cobia and wahoo are […], by Steve Morgan • After hundreds of boat tests, we finally made it to Coffs Harbour to get some hulls wet. The Tyrnos and M10 setup is ideal for trolling an array of live and dead baits effectively and will easily catch the majority of fish you encounter. As you troll baits at slower speeds you can thoroughly cover a reef, so with the added bonus of a sounder it can make it easy to locate the bait and Spanish mackerel so that you can keep trolling over them until they decide to eat. If the bait is spinning, you may need to slow down the trolling speed. Spanish mackerel love anchovies, menhaden, scaled sardines (pilchards), threadfin herring, alewives and many other species of similar small fish. Florida Regulations: 12” fork length, Daily Bag Limit per person: 15 . They mature at 2 years of age, and can live up to 12 years. Lengths have been converted from fork length. Running a good length (1.2 metres) of leader will help soften the intense impact strike and reduce pulling the hooks. You can also go back to the homepage and start browsing from there. When the Spanish are leader-shy, anglers may have to go to monofilament leader to get strikes, but they need to be resolved to lose some tackle. Instead of crimping on one 1/0-3/0 treble hook with 90lb kink-resistant stainless cable I’ll crimp on another piece of cable off the loop to the first treble hook so I have two treble hooks to pin in along the bait, giving me a better chance of hooking the fish. Size: Spanish mackerel have been known to reach 32 inches. _g1.setAttribute('srcset', _g1.getAttribute('data-srcset')); Spanish mackerel are found all along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In this article, we’ll teach what exactly a bubble rig is, how to make one, as well as the proper ways to fish a bubble rig for Spanish mackerel. Habitat. If it’s a big fish, slowly turn up on it and wind the line in as quickly as possible to keep pressure on the fish until you are on top of it and motoring away from it to keep it coming with the boat. Slow troll and chum over structure, use the lightest leader possible, and make sure to match the hatch when using live bait or artificials. Larger Spanish mackerel seem to stop growing length ways at around 25kg and become much thicker throughout the body to form a shape similar to that of a dog tooth tuna and are a truly awesome fish to witness! Once the fish is in gaffing range place a gaff shot in around its head to avoid damaging the flesh. Many anglers identify the location of Spanish mackerel by trolling or watching for birds diving on schools of baitfish, which often indicates that mackerel are forcing the bait to the surface. If you’re worried, eat smaller portions in one sitting. _g1 = document.getElementById('g1-logo-mobile-inverted-source'); To catch more Spanish and king mackerel, follow these tips from Capt. 1,041 34. I was a bit concerned about the 10-inch trace of 20-pound-test Terminator titanium wire leader, but he boated the king, and on post-battle inspection, the titanium leader looked like new. I recommend flat-finished swivels that are sized to match the tackle you’re fishing. Kyle loves the surface action and will use a popper for Spanish mackerel whenever he can. A bubble rig is one of the most simple types of fishing lures, yet it works wonders when fishing for Spanish mackerel. It’s also much easier to run two baits effectively without tangles; just set them at different distances behind the boat. Unless you’re using a deck winch or wire line, you won’t stop a mackerel on its initial run, but that’s the one reason I love catching these fish. graphs are stated as total length (as this is more often used by fishers). } The added benefit of running two rods is that you can run two different baits to see what the fish are feeding on. When collecting live baits it’s always a good idea to catch a heap when they are around, keep what you need for the day’s fishing alive and put on ice then vac seal and freeze them when you get home to use as dead baits later on. Cutting a piece of leader at 18 inches in length of the 25 # test line, tie it a # 1 long shank hook. Spanish mackerel feed on relatively small fish, so offer them relatively small lures. Interested in techniques for when you're flyfishing or trolling for Spanish mackerel? Not only are they a highly-prized catch, but they fight hard and when they grow old, some develop incredibly […], by Greg Clarke • The East Australian Current bubbles down the New South Wales coastline every summer bringing all those hot water pelagic species that anglers so eagerly await. I've had good success using Clousers tied on … If Spanish mackerel fish teeth hit 12-pound monofilament line, that line will quickly shred in two pieces. The addition of a piano wire leader will decrease bite offs from large Spaniards and wahoo. Setting the hook securely into the hard mouth of a big mulloway or Spanish mackerel can be challenging enough without having to battle with line stretch as well! Previous article What kind of bait do you recommend to catch Reds? Spanish mackerel love anchovies, menhaden, scaled sardines (pilchards), threadfin herring, alewives and many other species of similar small fish. The bait should sit straight and have some movement if you wiggle it while holding the wire leader. Trolling baits effectively can take a little time and skill to perfect, but there’s no better feeling than setting out a perfectly righted bait, locating fish on the sounder then turning back and watching your rods in anticipation before they fold over and the drag starts screaming off. When conditions allow, anglers usually choose 50 pound test line over lighter lines for a number of reasons. Mackerel fish teeth hit 12-pound monofilament line, spear both Inshore and off reef! Rods is that you can also go back to 130lb or even to. On the Spanish mackerel blue water – they don ’ t handle being caught and released and! Leader will help soften the intense impact strike and reduce pulling the hooks are,... Catch Spanish, but Spanish can be caught year round day live bait for number... Job done of 80lb single strand wire to the homepage and start browsing from there ( much better hit and... 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