What is the best rig for mackerel?
There are numerous feather rigs, tinsel rigs, sabiki rigs, hokkai rigs and more available which are effective for mackerel. I favour tinsels, feathered sabikis and luminous hokkais. I tend to choose rigs with hook sizes ranging from size 4 up to a size 2/0.
How fast do you troll for Spanish mackerel?
between five and seven knots
Trolling speed for Spanish mackerel is between five and seven knots. At this speed the 15-pound leader is going to twist no matter how many ball bearing swivels you use. Having one in the mix will slow down the inevitable, but it won’t stop the twisting.
What is a bubble float?
a hollow spherical float that can be weighted with water to aid casting.
What is a controller float?
FLOATS FOR SURFACE FISHING
There are many different surface fishing floats available – often called controller floats. Although there are many different versions on the market, there are two main types of surface float – self-cocking controller floats and bubble floats.
What month is best for mackerel fishing?
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 line do you use for Spanish mackerel?
One bit of rigging that is absolutely crucial for Spanish is a good leader. If Spanish mackerel fish teeth hit 12-pound monofilament line, that line will quickly shred in two pieces. Some anglers prefer a short—eight inches—light metal leader which connects the lure or bait to the angler’s line.
What size hooks for mackerel?
Typically, people fish with size 1-0 hooks, but this makes it harder to catch garfish and is a bit big for mackerel too, so something smaller like a size 4 is preferable.
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.
What is the best time to catch Spanish mackerel?
Normally, the times around sunrise and sunset are your best times. But, Spanish are a schooling fish and will come by the pier any time during the day. Fishing off the end of the Okaloosa Island Pier Spanish Mackerel caught on the with a Gotcha.
How do you float a torpedo?
You tie the fat end to your line and then a leader to the other and fish your fly, jig, or hook and worm attached to the leader. They are not as easy to use as some bobbers and you’re limited to relatively shallow water (unless you have a really long rod) with these floats, but they cast like a bullet.
How far should a bobber be from the hook?
1 to 2 feet
For the bobber, a smaller one is more sensitive and offers less resistance to the fish so it can eat your bait easily. Finally, a short distance between the bobber and the hook (1 to 2 feet, normally) gets your worm in front of many fish yet keeps your hook from snagging the bottom.