Trolling tips for mackerel

Trolling for king mackerel old salt fishing foundation. Troll the outside of the school of spanish mackerel if fishing from a boat. Trolling for spanish mackerel part 1 of 4 fishing townsville. In this article we cover trolling for mackerel, choosing the best fishing lures, and we even include a simple spanish mackerel recipe you can use to enjoy eating your catch. Its also popular along coastal inshore waters most seasons. To remain in warm water, spanish mackerel migrate out of the northern parts of the state in the fall of the year and return in april with the warming waters. Rigging must accommodate a wide range of techniques, including downrigger trolling, kitefishing, slowtrolling, drifting or even anchoring, any. This technique is performed with the boat underway, motoring ahead at not more than three knots. Pilchards, threadfin herring, menhaden, blue runners, or even spanish mackerel are commonly used baits that can be caught in our area. Best lures for spanish mackerel salt water sportsman. Trolling is a method of fishing where one or more fishing lines. Tournament pros share their mackerel fishing secrets for finding and catching monsters. They hit hard, take long, drag testing runs and fight all the way to the boat.

Catching spanish mackerel 101 the online fisherman. Whole dead fish balao, small mullet, strip baits, squid, artificial lures small offshore trolling lures, live bait small fish. Trolling for spanish mackerel and pelagic predators youtube. Kingfish south florida tips tactics baits rigs florida sport fishing tv duration. Trolling for mackerel or how to catch mackerel with a paravane rig. I enjoy swearing at these articles as they really arent doing justice to you, the reader. King mackerel kingfish fishing trolling rigging baits how. This strategy involves covering lots of water and showing the fish different looks. This seminar was packed with some great tips for spanish and king mackerel fishing, but at 43 minutes long, its quite the investment if you want to watch it. Trolling for kings is done at relatively slow speeds.

Although sardines are great baits, they dont hold on to the hook as well as a mullet or another hardier fish when casting far or trolling. I run the trolling speed of the boat up until the bait is on the surface and skipping with the front of the bait just out of the water. Oct 04, 2019 spanish mackerel and false albacore fishing tips. Rigging swimming troll baits can really boost your catches. For more information about spanish mackerel, check out the environmental defense fund. Trolling speed gets bumped up well above rockfish territory, into the seven mph. Spanish mackerel migrate up florida in the spring just ahead of the king. Dave magner provides some inside info to help you catch more mackerel on hardbodied lures.

On the troll for spanish mackerel nsw fishing monthly. In this video i give you great rigs, tips, and techniques on how you can catch more spanish mackerel. Mackerel fishing tips from mackie mecca one of the prime mackerel locations in the country is chesil beach, in dorset. Just like most predators, the spanish mackerel also take baits. One is to mix in with your trolling spread a light spinning outfit with a. Mackerel are almost perfect predators fast, sleek and equipped with razor sharp teeth capable of effortlessly slicing through preyin short, a baitfishs worst nightmare. If youre slow trolling and chumming, make sure to be trolling in circles. Offshore trolling boats usually dont make good livebait fishing boats for king mackerel. Best trolling speed for offshore fishing sport fishing magazine.

How to catch spanish mackerel a highly popular and effective way of catching the fast moving, predatorial hunters is by trolling baits and lures. Alsokeen to hear views around hard bodied vs skirted. Trolling speeds should be adjusted to sea conditions but 1,000 to 1,500 rpm or between 2 and 4 knots is a good. Catching mackerel using metal slices ryan moody fishing.

Get some great mackerel trolling tips using hardbodied lures with this helpful article by dave magner written for ondeck by dinga. Take the kids along and let them enjoy the fight these fish give. You will find a lot more interesting and helpful fishing, camping and outdoor articles too. King mackerel kingfish fishing trolling rigging baits how to. A local guide on techniques and rigs for catching spanish mackerel in the destin, florida area. To accommodate for the oftenhooked kings that are sometimes eating the spanish mackerel, and to grant additional leverage, a lot of anglers fishing for openwater species use conventional tackle. Florida king mackerel fishing, tips and techniques sarasota. The easiest spread for trolling trolling for mahi mahi, tuna and kingfish fishing how to duration. Interested in techniques for when youre flyfishing or trolling for spanish mackerel. Fishing for spanish mackerel for beginners fishtalk magazine. You can also watch the video at the bottom of this post.

We usually troll skirted squid patterns around 6 7 knots, with reasonable strike rate but am keen to hear others experiences. Rigging must accommodate a wide range of techniques, including downriggertrolling, kitefishing, slowtrolling, drifting or even anchoring, any. How to catch spanish mackerel professionals reveal their. When the water is calm, the churned up surface can be seen from quite a distance away. Again, spanish mackerel are terminal feeders built from the bones out to see and catch smaller fish in front of them. They commonly hit baits trailed for sailfish and marlin. Trolling for spanish mackerel part 1 of 4 friday, july 01, 2011 tips. On the troll for spanish mackerel fishing monthly magazines. Mackerel trolling rig, bally hood trolling rigs, plug trolling rigs plus bass fishing tips saltwater fly fishing tips and tricks risultati immagini per best fishing rigs bait rigging and knot tying techniques for inshore freshwater bass, catfish and crappie chumming rigs. Sometimes i will troll four rods, twoway back fifty to sixty yards, one half way back and one bait right up close to the boat in the prop wash. Dec 06, 2017 there are several public numbers gps coordinates within 7 miles that are extremely productive for kingfish. King mackerel are voracious feeders that will hit a variety of baits. The mackerel have currently invaded the tampa bay area, and they are everywhere.

Aug 21, 2019 sharks have better sniffers than mackerel, so if there are sharks around, you can bet theyll find your chum slick, and the taxman would love to make an appearance. Fishing for spanish mackerel carolina beach fishing report. When you are travelling at 56 knots looking for surface bait balls to cast to, and you have the trolling boards out, you can catch a spotty where youd least expect it. The venerable clark spoon and similar lures flutter and skip just like small bait. Troll near shore for spanish mackerel success gulf shores. The regulations for spanish mackerel are a minimum size of 12 inches fork length tip of nose to the middle of the fork in the tail and a limit of 15 fish per fisherman per day. In this episode of blacktiph, josh and mike from 1rod1reelfishing go slow trolling for monster kingfish with capt. May 17, 2018 trolling can be as complicated or as easy as you want to make it. Spanish mackerel are a pelagic, fast swimming fish that are prevalent throughout floridas coastal waters when water temperatures exceed 70 degrees. He has written about the tips, tactics, techniques, how to, methods and anglers who catch such species as tuna, wahoo, cobia, snapper, king mackerel, amberjack, tarpon, speckled trout spotted sea trout, weakfish, redfish red drum, atlantic croaker, flounder, and black drum. Trolling can also work very well for spotted mackerel, especially on the days when the spotties are not feeding aggressively on the surface.

For nearly 40 years jerry labella has been fishing the waters of the gulf of mexico and louisiana coastal marsh areas. Alan yates opens up the options for catching mackerel a very popular sea species mackerel get a lot of bad press. Spoons, jigs and trolling plugs are most likely to tempt juvenile schoolie kings in the 10 to 20pound range, so for the big smoker kings youll want to troll a spread of natural baits. Cunning, sharpeyed fish like spanish mackerel really do advance themselves in areas with heavy fishing pressure. Spanish mackeral scomberomorus commerson other names. The specific techniques used for catching spanish mackerel using baits are slowly becoming a dying art, with more people opting for the easier option of trolling lures, which can certainly catch them on the right days, but is by no means the most effective way to catch a better class or numbers of spanish.

A typical trolling spread for spanish mackerel is 4 or 5 lines with most below the surface and one on the surface. Different situations call for a variety of techniques and lures and halco has every base covered. Hot techniques for rodbusting king mackerel for the inshore atlantic and gulf fisherman in the southeast us with access to either a small boat or a long pier, the king mackerel are often the target of choice from april to november. This is one of the elements that attracts anglers to pursuing these fast and feisty game fish. Mackerel are very often seen foraging violently on the surface. Fishing for mackerel three great methods sea angler. Aug 07, 2016 how to catch spanish mackerel a highly popular and effective way of catching the fast moving, predatorial hunters is by trolling baits and lures. These fish are coming that close because one of their favorite mealsthe menhaden shad porgiesare schooling. Finding a fish in the great abyss of water that covers the earth adds to these obstacles. Best lures to catch king mackerel salt water sportsman. Jun 15, 2005 the prince of mackerel can be the king of nearshore water along the coast during the spring months. The prince of mackerel can be the king of nearshore water along the coast during the spring months. They are found in the coastal waters all along the entire gulf of mexico coast and up the east coast of the united states to the mid atlantic. But there are a few little tricks that make life not only easier for you, but they might even catch you a few more fish.

How to catch school mackerel fishing monthly magazines. Structure plays an important role in king mackerel fishing, and the thousands of oil rigs in the gulf make a natural place for kings to hold. Jun 19, 2017 slowtrolling for spanish mackerel and small king mackerel just off the beach is very productive during the summer months on the gulf coast. How to catch spanish king mackerel, the average angler. Remembering the basics, and keeping it simple will lead to success. How to catch spanish mackerel plus free pdf catch card. Spanish mackerel migrate up florida in the spring just ahead of the king mackerel.

He likes to fish two king mackerel baits deep on downriggers, and at least two more on the surface in the prop wash. Proper anglers dont want the stigma of catching them or bei. Check out these handy and practical fishing tips for trolling reefs, bommies, and drop offs for pelagic fish species such as spanish mackerel. Numerous huge king mackerel are caught all up and down the atlantic shoreline from ocean piers that extend only 750 or feet into the water.

So i did the work for you and broke it down into the major points of how to catch mackerel below. Casting, drifting, trolling, and fly fishing will all put spanish mackerel in the boat. But king mackerel are always on the menu, whether as incidental catch of the bigger meatfish or when targeted on purpose. Caught on the right tackle they can be real fun to catch. While there are several charter boats offering trolling trips for a nominal fee, it doesnt take a large boat to enjoy the spanish bite. Heres how to catch mackerel saltwater fishing tips. Use the tips and tactics in this piece to try slow trolling for king mackerel. Weather a yellow tail, slimy mackerel or a small bonito a. You need to dedicate yourself to the spanish, and accept the fact that you wont be catching stripers at the same time. Spanish mackerel are primarily caught in the nearshore ocean, from just beyond the breakers to a few miles offshore.

Trolling allows the lure to stay in the water while the angler paddles for miles, making it the most productive fishing tactic. This seminar was packed with some great tips for spanish and king mackerel fishing, but at 43. Without a doubt spanish mackerel are one of my alltime favourite fish to target. Learn how to go fishing for spanish mackerel on the chesapeake bay and midatlantic coast. Hot techniques for rodbusting king mackerel combatfishing. Trolling with outriggers, also, sailfish seem to be attracted to slow trolled live baits fished in similar method as used to slow troll for king mackerel. Discusses lures, line, leaders, areas to fish, characteristics and identification of the spanish mackerel, its habitat and season in the destin area and gulf. Whether youre trolling lures for kingfish or have the opportunity to do some sightcasting, king mackerel rarely refuse a meal thats presented to them. One of the more popular methods is drifting or trolling live baits. Much faster than that and the mackerel is likely to decide that chasing after your lure isnt really worth the effort. Fishing tips to catch carolina kingfish salt water sportsman. Unfortunately king mackerel tend to accumulate high levels of methyl mercury, so in spite of their deliciousness its not in your best interest healthwise to eat lots of it. Florida king mackerel fishing, tips and techniques.

Secondly there are a lot of articles about trolling for pelagic fish such as spanish mackerel macks that subscribe to just one technique on all occasions. Fishing king green water is one key to finding and catching 50 to 60pound smokers the big kingfish that win tournaments. As mentioned above, there are multiple techniques which will produce spanish mackerel. There is a lot of debate about techniques on trolling for macks. We started trolling spoons with light spinning rods and some small conventional reels. Spanish mackerel and false albacore fishing tips sarasota. Spanish mackerel and king mackerel are both present in the midatlantic region, but spanish mackerel are far more prevalent and fishing for spanish mackerel is popular among many anglers when chesapeake bay fishing during the summer months. How to catch mackerel along australias east coast fishing world. The ultimate spanish mackerel rig catches mackerel anywhere by. Mackerel are more than baitfish or a summer holiday pastime. There are many ways to catch spanish, but trolling for them with live and dead bait is the most effective way. Trolling is the most common method, with bait or live bait being the second. Its a hugely popular fishing spot, but with over 18 miles. This was a really fun day and we both caught so many fish.

Put some lines out, set a course, and sit back and relax. Spanish mackerel are a terrific and in my opinion underrated game fish. Ben and tim offer some basic trolling tips for mackerel. Perfect for kids, mackerel can be easily caught by trolling. D just wondering what your experience is with various trolling speeds lure types etc. Comprised of a rod with a trigger grip, the conventional rod puts the reel on top of the rod not below it as is the case with spinning gear. Whether your close to the coast line or several miles offshore, trolling is often the most productive method for catching a wide variety of saltwater pelagic gamefish species. Finally, one last tip about chumming if youre slow trolling and chumming, make sure to be trolling in circles. Troll with a lot of line out and make sure the lures go into the front of the school, to avoid driving the fish down. Spanish mackerel love a variety of small prey and lures that mimic glass minnows, sardines, plichards and other bait easily fools them with a fast retrieve. Clarkspoons, mackerel trees and drone spoons have caught more spanish than any other lure when trolling. If looked after correctly once caught, they make great eating too. A roving king mackerel or wahoo may jump on your trolled bait, and a monofilament leader will be sliced in half before. Spanish mackerel respond well to all types of fishing techniques.

Slow trolling tips and techniques trolling slow usually means a using a hard body lure or live bait of some type. The specific techniques used for catching spanish mackerel using baits are slowly becoming a dying art, with more people opting for the easier. Jan 31, 2014 damian bowman shows how easy it is to get in the action of trolling for spanish king mackerel. On our way back in from bottom fishing we decided to stop at the mouth of the inlet and troll for spanish mackerel.

This blog post will provide spanish mackerel and false albacore fishing tips. Spanish mackerel fishing in florida, an anglers guide. Jun 22, 2018 on our way back in from bottom fishing we decided to stop at the mouth of the inlet and troll for spanish mackerel. Since spanish mackerel are considered easy to catch, they make a great target for family fishing. Jan 09, 2020 impson and taylor say 9 knots is the best trolling speed for their boat in most conditions when trolling ilanderhorseballyhoo combos for marlin and yellowfin tuna in the gulf of mexico. Some fishermen use all planers or all trolling sinkers, but i like to begin with a mixture of them. But conditions can get nasty when trolling 100 to 230 miles offshore, along the gulfs continental shelf. The easy way to catch spanish mackerel best lures, spots. Jun 18, 2018 trolling for big king mackerel, which have returned to their summertime feeding grounds off the coast of alabama, is a tradition here in the deep south. Laser pro 190s or 160s are the goto lures for general trolling using medium to. Any saltwater boat that is seaworthy can be used for trolling.

They are widely distributed along the east coast of the united states as well as the gulf of mexico and the caribbean. However, like most things in the fishing world, trolling for kings can be improved in most cases by listening to a little advice from experts. Trolling can also be an ideal method when working large deepwater reef systems where fish could be spread over a large area. Hearty blue runners are also great for slow trolling. The ultimate spanish mackerel rig catches mackerel anywhere.

Spanish mackerel are coastal fish that travel in large schools and are found in the atlantic ocean, especially between new york and the gulf of mexico. Apr 03, 2019 spanish mackerel love a variety of small prey and lures that mimic glass minnows, sardines, plichards and other bait easily fools them with a fast retrieve. The step up from mackerel to proper sea angling may be a major one, but feathering with a string of lures is a fun pastime that is enjoyed by thousands every summer around our coast. Trolling covers more fishing area in a shorter time than any other method. As with all fishing, current conditions will dictate the best place to fish in the technique to employ. Deadbait rigs work from 1 to 7 knots, and you can mix them with spoons if you keep the speed at over 3 knots. Spanish mackerel trolling speeds spanish mackerel can really test you, like many fish types. Find out the tips and tricks from 3 fishing pros on trolling from a kayak. Not only are they fast and taste great, but they look mean and have a serious set of choppers that can effortlessly slice any baitfish to pieces.

Peter stevens, a pro spanish mackerel line fisherman, shows us how to rig big and small dead baits. Watch for diving birds, boiling surface, and boats congregating around a certain patch of. Trolling for big king mackerel, which have returned to their summertime feeding grounds off the coast of alabama, is a tradition here in the deep south. It also generally means larger fish, so prepare accordingly. Weather a yellow tail, slimy mackerel or a small bonito a live bait needs to be able to swim a little. While trolling is the tried and true method for catching spanish, there are a few different techniques that add a bit of sport to the effort. However the japanese spotted mackerel is a great all round eating fish like its bigger cousin the spaniard or spanish king mackerel. I had always considered trolling to be the only serious method for catching spanish mackerel, until one afternoon at dusk, lounging at the beach with the kids, i noticed a single, silvery fish bolt out of the water like a porpoise, just on the far side of the. Kingfish rigs, king mackerel bait and trolling rigs salt. Fishing knots fishing tips inshore fishing spanish mackerel get our best posts delivered straight to your inbox. However there is still a lot of technique to master when learning how to catch king mackerel. Sep 25, 2006 the boat is rigged for bluewater fishing, with anglers making large catches of tuna, wahoo, dolphin and billfish. This linear shingle storm beach stretches from portland to west bay. Also see the battle of a 20kg yellowfin tuna on 10lb.