Mackerel
Last Updated November 2022
Mackerel are probably the first sea fish most of us ever caught on of those 2hr mackerel trips that seem so popular with holiday makers.
The mackerel is a summer species and can be one of the most enjoyable species to catch using light tackle. They can be caught from rocks, piers and open beaches from July to well into early autumn and even early winter is some areas.
The early fish will start to show offshore or from the deeper rock marks and will then start to show from beaches a short while after.
Mackerel can caught on ultra light gear, single handed spinning rods, small spinners, plugs, and rubber sand eels using 6 to 8lb line where distance casting isn’t required. From rocks or piers they will readily take float fished frozen sand eel and this often accounts for the larger fish.
From open beaches the single hand spinning rod is great sport but often the fish will be at a range that requires a slightly longer cast. When this is the case you can use a standard beach-casting rod with a string of mackerel feathers (which can be actual feathers or small tinsel strips) tied to imitate the small bait fish. Use a plain lead in the 90g to 125g range. This will give you the extra distance to reach fish. Using this method it not uncommon to find that your catch multiple fish so 3, 4 or 5 fish on a single cast. Although not as sporting as the single small lure approach the multi-hook method ensures you maximise your chances for the short times a shoal maybe in casting range.
Mackerel generally like a calmish sea. They can turn up at almost any time during the tide but the best time is often when high tide occurs late evening just before or around sunset and again in a morning when high tide occurs just after sunrise.
Take some fish home to eat as fresh mackerel is one of the tastiest fish you’ll ever eat! The fresh bit is important.
Mackerel bought from the supper market is really a very poor alternative and only any use for bait!
Mackerel Feathers - These rigs come in a wide variety of patterns and colours. My personal preference are silver coloured ones. I believe they best represent the whitebait the mackerel feed upon.
The Minimum Retention Size for mackerel varies. In the North Sea area it's 30cm (12") and everywhere else it's just 20cm (8")
Mackerel are now in rapid decline, a recent article in Independent states "Britain’s most valuable fish stock has lost its sustainable status after overfishing has driven mackerel stocks to the brink of collapse.
Last Updated November 2022
Mackerel are probably the first sea fish most of us ever caught on of those 2hr mackerel trips that seem so popular with holiday makers.
The mackerel is a summer species and can be one of the most enjoyable species to catch using light tackle. They can be caught from rocks, piers and open beaches from July to well into early autumn and even early winter is some areas.
The early fish will start to show offshore or from the deeper rock marks and will then start to show from beaches a short while after.
Mackerel can caught on ultra light gear, single handed spinning rods, small spinners, plugs, and rubber sand eels using 6 to 8lb line where distance casting isn’t required. From rocks or piers they will readily take float fished frozen sand eel and this often accounts for the larger fish.
From open beaches the single hand spinning rod is great sport but often the fish will be at a range that requires a slightly longer cast. When this is the case you can use a standard beach-casting rod with a string of mackerel feathers (which can be actual feathers or small tinsel strips) tied to imitate the small bait fish. Use a plain lead in the 90g to 125g range. This will give you the extra distance to reach fish. Using this method it not uncommon to find that your catch multiple fish so 3, 4 or 5 fish on a single cast. Although not as sporting as the single small lure approach the multi-hook method ensures you maximise your chances for the short times a shoal maybe in casting range.
Mackerel generally like a calmish sea. They can turn up at almost any time during the tide but the best time is often when high tide occurs late evening just before or around sunset and again in a morning when high tide occurs just after sunrise.
Take some fish home to eat as fresh mackerel is one of the tastiest fish you’ll ever eat! The fresh bit is important.
Mackerel bought from the supper market is really a very poor alternative and only any use for bait!
Mackerel Feathers - These rigs come in a wide variety of patterns and colours. My personal preference are silver coloured ones. I believe they best represent the whitebait the mackerel feed upon.
The Minimum Retention Size for mackerel varies. In the North Sea area it's 30cm (12") and everywhere else it's just 20cm (8")
Mackerel are now in rapid decline, a recent article in Independent states "Britain’s most valuable fish stock has lost its sustainable status after overfishing has driven mackerel stocks to the brink of collapse.
