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| Mackerel caught off the shore - cooked on drift wood |
One of the first signs of summer on the south coast is the arrival of the Mackerel running or swimming rather speedily along the seashore, often in such vast numbers they literally beach them self's!
During such times of plenty the shoals are with in easy reach of a would be coastal hunter and some one after a delicious fresh meal, there's nothing quite like catching and cooking on the beach.
This is what you will need to for a Mackerel hunting trip -
Equipment needed: Beach casting rod 4/6 oz casting weight - fixed spool reel capable of holding 200 yard of 15lb mono line - 2 x 3/4 oz plain leads - 2 x packs of various mackerel feathers - Shock leader line - rolling swivels - bucket or cool box + bag of ice (optional) Knife.
Where and when to go fishing: The sea needs to be fairly clear, so don't go after a stormy period when the sea gets all mixed up, Mackerel are hunting for small Sprats etc and rely a lot on sight to find there prey. Around high tide or morning or evening, before sun down, but in the hight of summer any times a good time. Pick a spot over shingle or sand to avoid snagging the sea bed as you retrieve, using a float works over rocky ground
How to fish: Fishing for mackerel is a fairly straight forward affair, you simply cast out your weight with a set of mackerel feathers attached, as far as you can, then retrieve by winding in the line with sporadic jerks of the rod as you lift it backward, repeat the process until you catch, when you do remember they are shoal fish, so unhook and dispatch your catch quickly and re cast.
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| Beach casting rod 13ft - Penn Powerstix Pro. |
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| Mackerel feathers. |
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| Fixed spool beach casting reel. |
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| Plain 4 + 3 oz leads. |
Full Blood Knot - how to tie a hook on using a full blood knot from Coastal Survival on Vimeo.
Hi Fraser, Just discovered your blog and I'm pleased to see a Mackerel blog entry. I'm heading to Brixham in the summer and hope to catch some off the harbour wall and smoke them (although I'm a bit of a fishing novice). I've been told that they are greedy little bastards and are quite easy to nail. Is there anything else that I may hook off the harbour wall?
ReplyDeleteHi Austin,
DeleteTry a drop net, baited with fish heads down the side of the wall for crabs etc, float fishing a live mackerel for Bass might work at very first light or dusk?
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