I have a lot of respect for the Mackerel. They are a beautiful fish that taste good and are a great bait for sea anglers. They are powerful and can provide some great sport, but how do you catch them? read on for some Mackerel Fishing Tips…
I have been prompted to write this after reading a few UK sea angling forums and reading what people have said about our humble Mackerel.
The Atlantic Mackerel Scomber scombrus is a pelagic fish (mid water) which shoal in great numbers around the UK coast in late spring. Huge numbers can be caught from boats and the shore, the warmer the water the better.
I find this amazing, but I read on wikipedia that they can live to be 20 years old! So consider that first when you bring them up 5 on a string!!
The largest rod caught mackerel was 6lb 13 oz wow, that would be a great fish!!
They can swim at 20mph faster than most of us can run!!
The fish makes a great all round bait for Shark, Conger, Bass, Ray, Huss and almost anything else that feeds in the sea!!
They also make for good eating and can be served in many ways, baked, boiled, smoked, steamed, BBQ’d, salted you name it!!
The most common method for catching these fish would be using 5 lures / feathers on one line, dropping this to the seabed, then pumping the rod up and down, then after a few mins. At this depth, wind the lures up 5 feet and try again. Keep doing this until you catch some, then next drop get to the same level and you will catch more,
but…
Considering the above why not consider them a sport fish, use light tackle or fly rods and enjoy what they have to offer. This is a power packed fish, a sprinter of our seas!
Come on people lets see some RESPECT for the MACKEREL
When Can I Catch Mackerel
I only remembered this today while I was driving to the sea. It is a very simple rule that I was told many years ago and I remember that it works as a basic rule of thumb.
Its as simple as when you start to see flocks of Swallows there will be shoals of Mackerel. The Swallows get to different areas at different times depending on a number of variables, likewise the Mackerel.
So there you have it, your answer to When can I catch Mackerel from the shore
There a a lot of different methods for Mackerel fishing and it depends on your location and experience as to which method you should employ. The two many categories are:
Shore Mackerel fishing
Boat Mackerel fishing
Both of these platforms can be sub divided again depending on your requirements. If you want to catch a lot of Mackerel for bait, from a boat, feathering for mackerel is the fastest way to get results. However if you are on a boat and want some great sport fishing, then a spinning rod with a single lure or SWFF (saltwater fly fishing ) will provide you with some stunning sport, two tops Mackerel fishing tips..
Beginners to Mackerel fishing
Mackerel Fishing
For great deals and to catch more Mackerel have a look at the The best Mackerel Lures you can get
I believe that Mackerel fishing, offers the new angler a great deal of confidence when setting out in the sport of sea fishing. They are not hard to catch from safe areas, you learn how to cast and handle fish, as well as learning a little on the best conditions to catch fish - this knowledge can be applied to other species.
Peir fishing - This allows you to fish in a decent depth of water, where fish such as Mackerel hold in the summer months. The structure you are fishing from is flat and easy to cast from. It is safe, as long as you fish in sensible conditions and choose a suitable area away from water craft . Use railings etc to prevent a fall!! If mackerel fishing with small children it might be worth purchasing buoyancy aids or a flotation suite. You can use a cheap fixed spool reel with a 10 - 12 foot rod suitable for casting 1 - 3 oz. 15 lb main line with 30lb shock leader or use 30lb line straight through.
Beach / Rock fishing - Often harder to find a mark with deep water close by but still achievable. The location you will be mackerel fishing from will be un-stable and this can cause problems to newbies casting technique. The tackle used and rigs can be the same as above. MackerelFishing from rocks or beaches is technically a little harder, so I would recommend a pier first!
The rigs you use differ depending on the Sport level you are looking for. Anything that uses multiple hooks for Mackerel fishing might take away from the fight. This is because the fish pull in different ways and you are fighting the dead weight not the individual fish! So the rigs are :
Sliding float - Thread a cigar float onto your main line, with a bead above it and one below. Place a ball weight below this, enough to cock the float (make it stand up-right) another bead and then a swivel. The beads prevent abrasion! To the bottom of the swivel attach your trace, 3 foot of 10 lb line should do. Then attach your hook. Size 1/0 to 3/0 should do, here is a guide to fishing hook sizes . You then need to tie a top knot above the top bead. This prevents the float from riding up the line and the weight just going to the bottom of the sea! I would bait it with a strip of Sand eel or Squid and then get Mackerel fishing. You can adjust the depth you fish at by sliding the knot up your line!!
Feathers / lures - This is an easy set up for Mackerel fishing. You by your chosen lures - I prefer the holographic silver type, but had great success for years on colored feathers. 3 to 4 lures on a string is plenty. Attach a swivel to your main line and tie the traces of mackerel lures onto your shock leader, not the loop end! Then attach your weight to the bottom loop and cast away!!!. You then let the lures stop on the sea bed and retrieve them by pumping the rod towards you then lower the rod tip and wind up the slack line. You can experiment the speed of the pumps under different conditions to see if this changes your catch rate. On broken ground, you want to retrieve fast to avoid any snags.
So you have been hauling Mackerel for years and are a good angler with a sound cast!!! Have you ever considered making more sport from your Mackerel fishing? A two pound Mackerel on matched gear will provide some great sport, the best being on SWFF tackle. Here are some “sporting” Mackerel fishing tips.
Mackerel Traces - Rather than use a standard weight attach a perk from a boat or dexters wedge from the shore. You can get some interesting results!!
Float fishing - Float fish a trace of Mackerel lures under your chosen cigar shaped float. You can cover a huge amount of water and a bit of bait (sand eel or squid) can increase catch rates. Gar fish love a bit of sand eel fillet!!
SWFFShore - Great sport. Choose hot sunny days with a good tidal range and use a floating line with a flashy lure. Mackerel Fish hard, not forgetting to fish close to the shore line (I have seen Mackerel hunting in 18 inches of water!). You don’t want to use heavier than a weight 8 set up.
SWFF Boat/kayak - If the Mackerel are high in the water column, then use a sinking tip line or dry line with a weighted lure. The lighter the rod the better. I used a brook rod, 7 ft and had amazing sport from my kayak!!. For early season fish you can employ a fast sinking line and wait for the knocks and sport when you hook a channel racer!!!!!
Spinning - A dexters wedge on light spinning gear will catch you lots of Mackerel, Bass and Pollock in the right locations. Fish all the depths and fish hard. Use balanced tackle and enjoy the fight… This is a great form of Mackerel fishing.
The Mackerel is a much underrated fish. Its tastes great cooked on th BBQ. Get out there and approach your sea fishing with a new out look. Let us know here how you get on, or other tips by commenting on this post about Mackerel fishing tips.
For great deals and to catch more Mackerel have a look at the best Mackerel Lures you can get
“They also make for good eating and can be served in many ways, baked, boiled, smoked, steamed, BBQ’d, salted you name it!!”
I absolutely agree. Marinated and BBQ’d… Delicious.
On catching them, its always a good idea and practice to put the smaller ones back. I tend to put some back off a line, and keep the bigger ones. I’ll use the head/tail for baiting other fish. Also, ive had good luck with it with catching pike too in freshwater..
Hi!
My wife has just bought me a brand new fishing rod, Reel and somethink called a “pilker” for my birthday as i have said i’d like to get back into fishing, like when i was a little boy! Any ideas if this Pilker is any good for catching fish from a peir? or should i get some feathers?
Looking at the lure it would certainly has potential. I would use it on high tides, fished close to the wall at dusk on warm summer evenings. I think for pier fishing you cant go wrong with sliding floats or the modern equivalent to feathers - tinsels and similar have a look here http://astore.amazon.co.uk/fishing-blog-21/detail/B0039YXTN4
hello,
i used to go mack fishing when i was younger using a single minnow spinner and caught my fair share! but earlier this year a few pals and i took up the fishing again because it is not that expensive and its a good day out!
we fish for macks still using a single spinner and with rigs..i have found that using a set of black feathers is good for catching them….we found this out by using a set of coloured feathers and seeing that we caught with the black one on most occasions..
my method for catching macks of a pier with good deep water is to reel out until i feel the weight touch the bottom, then to jerk the rod up and down, reel in a bit, jerk it up and down a few tims more, then reel it up until i can see the lure and drop it quickly back to the bottom, this may result in a few foul hooks but on the majority of times, the mack will strike for it. this way will also yield a few pollock!
macks like to chase lures, they are a quick fissh, so if casting out with a spinner, i find that reeling in quite quick will be more successful than reeling and stopping. After casting out far, wait for about 10-15 seconds before reeling in, as this gives the lure time to sink a bit..
If using a rig or feathers, do not be too hasty to pull in as soon as you feel that you have a fish on, in my way of thinking,…wheres theres one fish on, theres more about! .. if you reel in straight away, it will disturb any nearby fish and they will relocate!
i find that the best times to fish for mack is 2 hours before high tide and up to 3 hours after! the places i fish(im in Donegal, which is up north west of ireland) offer up a lot of mack if you learn your gear! if it is a sunny day with blue skies, then id use bright, shiny rigs which will reflect any light, and macks will chase anyting bright!..if its a dark over cast day, ill use darker rigs and feathers!..
if you fish from a pier, dont stay in the same location for too long, be variable as the fish will move around because fo the disturbance of your taqckle in the water..if you are fishing off the rocks, beware of seaweed and kelp as they will cause you to lose some gear and it could be your day over if you dont have many spare, dont cast in the same place too many times, again, vary it!
enjoy and tight lines!
thanks…that is about the extent of my knowledge! i have one question, its a stupid question but if i dont ask i wont know!…what time of year do the mackerel be plentiful, and do you reckon they come to our shore first or the uk?..i cant wait to get back out!..i know im in the wrong thread for this, but is there any point heading out this time of year for pollock?..
You can head off shore for Pollock, nothing close in at the moment worth talking about. I wait until the first Swallows until I start hitting summer shore species hard! My rule of thumb…
Lovely little web page. I love Mackerel fishing and the best fishing for me is in Scotland. The shoals have been getting bigger in recent years. One method I love using is fishing at low tide in the evening on the Isle of Bute. It takes a bit of practice! The weather conditions have to be dead calm, no wind, rain and with the sun at your back! You need to have a good understanding of the layout of the rocks and seaweeds etc. Sometimes it almosts resembles fly fish! The mackerel strike the lures on the surface of the water! Shrimp type lures used in the evenings giving the best results. Normally catch 10 -15 in 30 minutes. Tight lines!
Great fishing tips! I caught my first mackerel this summer and they are delicious on the BBQ. I even tried some raw as sushi! Just cut some thin strips, dip them in soy sauce and add a dab of horseraddish and there you have it- absolutely delicious.
I have been mackerel fishing once and we used feathers. I now live in Portugal and would like to take it up more seriously. I hope to do it from a boat with feathers but have no idea about fishing. Can someone tell me the type of rod I will need and reel. Anything else I should think about? Also will the season be the same as the uk?
thanks very much
me and my mate went out today from penzance purely to catch mackeral we didnt go out to far just out across to the mount and back had a few small pollock but not one mackeral any ideas
hi, i’m 13 and i went to dartmouth in may last year to fish for mackerel. i wasn’t very succcessful. at first i just used a spinner off the pier, but then i heard about feathering and i tried it out. i had 4 feathers and i put a spinner at the end as a weight. is that allright?
i only got 1 fish with the spinner and 1 with the feathers, but i saw 10 year-olds catching 3 at a time next to me! any tips?
you can get
Hotspot Angling Supplies says
“They also make for good eating and can be served in many ways, baked, boiled, smoked, steamed, BBQ’d, salted you name it!!”
I absolutely agree. Marinated and BBQ’d… Delicious.
On catching them, its always a good idea and practice to put the smaller ones back. I tend to put some back off a line, and keep the bigger ones. I’ll use the head/tail for baiting other fish. Also, ive had good luck with it with catching pike too in freshwater..
Greg says
I’ve been looking for some decent tips on mackerel fishing as I haven’t had much luck in the past! Thanks for sharing
Gareth says
Hi!
My wife has just bought me a brand new fishing rod, Reel and somethink called a “pilker” for my birthday as i have said i’d like to get back into fishing, like when i was a little boy! Any ideas if this Pilker is any good for catching fish from a peir? or should i get some feathers?
Thanks - Ps, you have a great little blog!
Looking at the lure it would certainly has potential. I would use it on high tides, fished close to the wall at dusk on warm summer evenings. I think for pier fishing you cant go wrong with sliding floats or the modern equivalent to feathers - tinsels and similar have a look here http://astore.amazon.co.uk/fishing-blog-21/detail/B0039YXTN4
Damo says
hello,
i used to go mack fishing when i was younger using a single minnow spinner and caught my fair share! but earlier this year a few pals and i took up the fishing again because it is not that expensive and its a good day out!
we fish for macks still using a single spinner and with rigs..i have found that using a set of black feathers is good for catching them….we found this out by using a set of coloured feathers and seeing that we caught with the black one on most occasions..
my method for catching macks of a pier with good deep water is to reel out until i feel the weight touch the bottom, then to jerk the rod up and down, reel in a bit, jerk it up and down a few tims more, then reel it up until i can see the lure and drop it quickly back to the bottom, this may result in a few foul hooks but on the majority of times, the mack will strike for it. this way will also yield a few pollock!
macks like to chase lures, they are a quick fissh, so if casting out with a spinner, i find that reeling in quite quick will be more successful than reeling and stopping. After casting out far, wait for about 10-15 seconds before reeling in, as this gives the lure time to sink a bit..
If using a rig or feathers, do not be too hasty to pull in as soon as you feel that you have a fish on, in my way of thinking,…wheres theres one fish on, theres more about! .. if you reel in straight away, it will disturb any nearby fish and they will relocate!
i find that the best times to fish for mack is 2 hours before high tide and up to 3 hours after! the places i fish(im in Donegal, which is up north west of ireland) offer up a lot of mack if you learn your gear! if it is a sunny day with blue skies, then id use bright, shiny rigs which will reflect any light, and macks will chase anyting bright!..if its a dark over cast day, ill use darker rigs and feathers!..
if you fish from a pier, dont stay in the same location for too long, be variable as the fish will move around because fo the disturbance of your taqckle in the water..if you are fishing off the rocks, beware of seaweed and kelp as they will cause you to lose some gear and it could be your day over if you dont have many spare, dont cast in the same place too many times, again, vary it!
enjoy and tight lines!
That is a great piece of advice, thank you very much. PS I love your email address!!
Damo says
thanks…that is about the extent of my knowledge! i have one question, its a stupid question but if i dont ask i wont know!…what time of year do the mackerel be plentiful, and do you reckon they come to our shore first or the uk?..i cant wait to get back out!..i know im in the wrong thread for this, but is there any point heading out this time of year for pollock?..
thanks
You can head off shore for Pollock, nothing close in at the moment worth talking about. I wait until the first Swallows until I start hitting summer shore species hard! My rule of thumb…
Andrew Gordon says
Lovely little web page. I love Mackerel fishing and the best fishing for me is in Scotland. The shoals have been getting bigger in recent years. One method I love using is fishing at low tide in the evening on the Isle of Bute. It takes a bit of practice! The weather conditions have to be dead calm, no wind, rain and with the sun at your back! You need to have a good understanding of the layout of the rocks and seaweeds etc. Sometimes it almosts resembles fly fish! The mackerel strike the lures on the surface of the water! Shrimp type lures used in the evenings giving the best results. Normally catch 10 -15 in 30 minutes. Tight lines!
Muggsy says
Great fishing tips! I caught my first mackerel this summer and they are delicious on the BBQ. I even tried some raw as sushi! Just cut some thin strips, dip them in soy sauce and add a dab of horseraddish and there you have it- absolutely delicious.
Dan says
I have been mackerel fishing once and we used feathers. I now live in Portugal and would like to take it up more seriously. I hope to do it from a boat with feathers but have no idea about fishing. Can someone tell me the type of rod I will need and reel. Anything else I should think about? Also will the season be the same as the uk?
thanks very much
shaun pellow says
me and my mate went out today from penzance purely to catch mackeral we didnt go out to far just out across to the mount and back had a few small pollock but not one mackeral any ideas
PakistanFishing says
Thank you for sharing this nice article, Mackerel is a beautiful fish and tastes great too.
J.B. says
Off mackeral fishing today at Porthkerris, not been for about 7 years, can’t wait!
A. Dardir says
Mackerel are beautiful fish! This is very great information.thanks for a nice article
GHD says
wow! i like this fish very mush.
taste is very delicious,hahahah,^-^
nice tips, but where could I find this fish?
Nicolo says
hi, i’m 13 and i went to dartmouth in may last year to fish for mackerel. i wasn’t very succcessful. at first i just used a spinner off the pier, but then i heard about feathering and i tried it out. i had 4 feathers and i put a spinner at the end as a weight. is that allright?
i only got 1 fish with the spinner and 1 with the feathers, but i saw 10 year-olds catching 3 at a time next to me! any tips?
Costa Rica Sport Fishing says
Mackerel are beautiful fish! This is great information. Thank you for sharing this article.
What an informative article! I wish I had read this a year ago when I was in Canada.
Thank you for the feedback there. Have you been fishing long? What species do you target? What gear do you use??
Shimano Fishing says
I’m off mackerel fishing! Good overview here. Thanks
Enjoy/ Remember to balance your sea fishing tackle to the species and environment!!
John Clark says
Makes me want to get out there right now - good stuff!
Michelle Y says
Really great article! I’d like to try some mackerel fishing as well - it’s been too long since I’ve fished.