Can You Troll For Mackerel?

Because Spanish mackerel like a fast-moving bait, trolling is the best way to catch them. Yes, you can catch a Spanish by casting, but for every one you catch casting lures another angler will catch ten on the troll. The trolling set up that has worked for me is quite simple.

What depth do you troll for mackerel?

I find that Spanish mackerel prefer depths of around 30 metres, although I have caught them in depths as shallow as 9 metres and as deep as 60. If you can find drop offs, or structure in 20-30 metres to 30-40 metres, it will pay to target these areas if there are no bait schools around.

How fast should you troll 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.

What is the best lure for 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 with a lure?

“The most effective way of catching mackerel here is to use a string of lures or feathers. These basic lures are retrieved erratically through the water, mimicking small baitfish such as sand eels, which are the staple diet of mackerel.

How far behind the boat should I troll?

Every boat is different and you should make your boat your own study. Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.

What is the best time to fish for mackerel?

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.

What month is mackerel season?

This changes between April and May, when the mackerel swim to the central parts of the North Sea to spawn. In the summer months, we’ll also spot spawning mackerel in our fjords. At this time of year, you’re likely to see anglers on the piers (young and old), trying to catch the delicious fish for their supper.

Can you catch mackerel from the beach?

The best places to catch mackerel are piers and rocks, both of which are already in deeper water. Mackerel don’t normally come in too close to the beach. This doesn’t mean that they don’t but as a general rule you’ll get much better results if you’re fishing away from the beach. The best baits are the shiny ones.

Where can I find mackerel?

Mackerel can often times be found throughout the entire expanses of water. Finding mackerel when fishing from a boat requires a knowledge of local hot spots, birds, and sonar. To start, head to well known mackerel haunts. Typically macks can be found in 40-70 feet of water.

Can you catch mackerel at low tide?

Registered. If it’s low tide then try the harbour entrances you’ll have to be there over slack water otherwise you’ll get sucked in, but at low the shoals start to move up river, Langstone or Chi are all good, watch out for the boats though, and the beachcasters.

When can you catch mackerel UK?

Mackerel is a very important fish to anglers as both a sport fish and as a bait. Mackerel are migratory and come to the UK in spring and early summer, when they will feed actively and then migrate to warmer seas in the autumn months to spawn, during which time they will feed little.

Can you use Spanish mackerel as bait?

You can use mackerel as bait but they must be in whole condition. If you use mackerel as bait they will count towards your daily bag limit. However, if the mackerel were legally harvest in days prior, they can be cut up and used as bait.

Can you troll live bait?

Live trolling refers to trolling with natural bait. Also called shallow trolling, the key to success with this form of live bait fishing relies on knowing how to hook live bait to best mimic live prey. Unlike live lining, live trolling does not necessarily mean trolling the bottom.

Should you troll with or against the current?

When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.

Is mono or braid better for trolling?

Mono holds knots better and costs less than braid. It also works better on smaller bait-casting reels because light braid can dig into itself. Florida sailfish and dolphin anglers still use a lot of mono on the troll, and some use it for kite lines because it runs through the clips better.

How fast do you troll with a Rapala?

Troll worm harnesses behind bottom bouncers or floating Rapalas on a three way rig as slow as 0.8 mph. These same tactics work on lethargic post spawn walleye as well. Trolling really kicks into high gear for summer walleye. Start trolling at speeds of 2.0 mph and adjust as necessary to encourage strikes.

Can you catch mackerel at night?

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.

Can I keep the fish I catch UK?

You’re only allowed to keep a certain amount of the fish you catch. These fish must also be of a certain size. You must return fish you can’t keep to the water unharmed. You’re committing an offence and can be fined if you take too many fish or fish that aren’t the right size.

What sea fish can you catch in April?

April, May: Spring sees the common shore crabs start to peel around many parts of the UK coast and this attracts bass, eels, pouting, flounder, codling, plaice, ray, dogfish, smoothhound and others inshore. After the rigours of spawning, many of these are hungry.

Where do mackerel go in the 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.