The best time to catch mackerel is dusk or dawn and at high tide. Spring high tides are often the best as they push bait fish closer into shore and the mackerel follow them in.
Can you catch mackerel in the evening?
You can also try night fishing by using a light stick or glow stick on the line to attract the mackerel to the rig. This can work a treat off a pier or jetty.
Are the mackerel in yet 2022?
The 2022 Mackerel Hook & Line fishery is to open by Fisheries Management Notice for all eligible vessels under 15 metres in length overall on 1st May 2022.
What is the best lure for catching mackerel?
Small soft plastic lures also work well. Mackerel will nail these in the top 20 ft or so of water. Effective lures include the Fiiish Black Minnow 70, Savage Gear Sandeels in the mini 10 cm or small 12.5 cm sizes and many others that imitate small baitfish such as sandeels and sprats.
Can you catch mackerel in the dark?
A few species do not generally feed in the dark and they include wrasse, plaice, mullet and mackerel, although there are exceptions. Calm, clear nights are generally more productive than when the sea is rough and coloured because the fish often feed much closer to shore in daylight in such conditions.
What depth do you catch mackerel?
Mackerel generally remain at the same depth which is between 8ft to 20ft. They also generally stay quite close to cliffs and walls. If you’re fishing from a pier then you will probably only need to be casting out between 5 to 30 yards.
What weight should I use for mackerel fishing?
The 10ft model with a 2-4oz casting weight is an ideal setup for a 3 mackerel feather setup and the 12ft 4-8oz set up is ideal for a 3 plus mackerel feather setup. This setup comes with a 60 size fixed spool reel that is already loaded with 20lb monofilament.
What is the best month to catch mackerel?
May-June is the best time to catch mackerel, although they are caught all summer in numbers and larger specimens are sometimes caught in winter.
What size hooks for mackerel?
Hook size. Mackerel have small mouths so if you miss a lot of bites, go down a hook size or two. Depending on the size of your bait, you can go down to a size 4 or even 6.
Can you catch mackerel when the tide is going out?
Shoal fish, such as mackerel, may come within range of anglers fishing from pier and rock marks when the weather is calm and the tide is weak, but stay further out at sea during strong spring tides, especially when they are combined with bad weather.
What Colour lures do mackerel like?
Mid-range coloured casting jig
Silver is the best colour for mackerel – as long as the lure creates flash you’re good. High end casting jigs look much fancier, but their real benefit is actually the way they fall in the water and the hook quality, not the way they look.
How do you target mackerel?
Let’s not beat around the bush—these five mackerel fishing tips will help you score.
- Try using a small gold spoon.
- Watch for those gray-hounding fish.
- Use as fast a retrieve as you can, and if you’re trolling, bump the speed up to eight or even nine knots.
- Use weight or a planer to get a lure down beneath the surface.
Does light attract mackerel?
In addition, scientists also found that sardines, horse mackerel, etc., particularly like red light. If they are exposed to cyan and green light, their swimming will be very active.
Where do mackerel go in winter?
North Sea mackerel overwinter in the deep water to the east and north of Shetland and on the edge of the Norway Deep, whereas mackerel found around the western shores move out to the continental slope, over-wintering across a vast area.
How do you fish mackerel from shore?
Using a beachcaster or bass rod and daylights or feathers is a very effective way to catch mackerel, and if a shoal is cast into it is possible to catch a mackerel on every lure. However, there is little sport in this method. Most anglers use lighter bass or spinning rods if they are fishing for mackerel for sport.
What’s the best way to fish for mackerel?
With the boat drifting and the motor turned off (it might spook the mackerel otherwise), use a string of Sabiki Bait Lures together with a pear-shaped lead weight attached at the lower end of the string. Lower this slowly, jigging it up and down as you do so, until you feel a fish strike.
How far should bait be from float?
It floats, it also naturally weighty. To use one slide a ledger stop on to your line, followed by a piece of candle and another ledger stop. As above fix your “float” two to three feet away from your baited hook and start fishing.
How fast do you trawl for mackerel?
The secret to more effective Mackerel trolling is speed. If you want to catch more Mackerel on lures, troll faster. While 6 knots is okay, 7, 8, 9 or 10 knots is even better. The faster you can troll, the more likely you are to get connected.
Do I need a shock leader for mackerel fishing?
This would be dangerous, if not potentially lethal. A leader acts a safety net for anglers firing out a lead weight over 3-4oz on all lines under 30lb. Any sea angler not using a shockleader when casting from a beach or pier is irresponsible.
What temperature do mackerel like?
Distribution: Mackerel are found worldwide in temperate (not too hot, not too cold ~50-72 °F) waters, and throughout the eastern Pacific.
Do you need a wire trace for mackerel?
Mackerel are toothy critters so it’s wise to make and use a wire trace, especially when fishing for mackerel with trolled lures.