As the poster in my local tackle shop has declared – “the mackies are in.”
With warming inshore waters, holidaymakers and summer anglers will be targeting the mackerel shoals.
With strings of feathers or fished for with lighter, more sporting, tackle, they put up one hell of a scrap for their size.
While the crowds on piers and jetties might not be welcomed by all, the annual mackerel run keeps sea angling afloat during the summer – charter skippers, fishing shops and angling clubs all benefit from the revenue these fish bring in.
Whatever your view, mackerel and their many fans are here to stay.
Mackerel don’t like rough, coloured water – they rely on sight to hunt their prey.
So check the weather, wind and sea conditions before you set out.
Through May and June, mackerel move up the North Sea and Irish Sea – they aren’t found everywhere, though major estuaries are best avoided if they are silty.
In lots of cases it’s the deepwater piers and breakwaters that are the best mackerel marks, simply because they allow the angler to reach clear water.
The other reason is that mackerel use the pier wall to trap the small fish they feed on.
There are a few basic dos and don’ts for when we’re out fishing on crowded piers and jetties. Cast with care and look before you do it.
Don’t leave litter, line, tackle, hooks etc behind, people are out with their pets and kids enjoying the seaside too.
Don’t encroach too closely on someone’s spot – at least ask if they mind first.
Only take the fish that you need, fish barbless and handle them carefully when you’re returning them and, most importantly, have fun and catch a good feed.
Most of us have a basic rod and reel suitable for mackerel fishing. You can get kitted out pretty easily.
Setting up properly will help you lose less gear – using a rotten bottom to your lead means you’ll often get your rig back rather than losing everything to a snag, leaving hooks and line in the water.
Line choice is critical too – thick and casting distance is affected, too light and you’ll crack off especially when fishing with heavy leads.
Using a shockleader prevents this and while they can be fiddly to tie and time-consuming, it’s much safer on a crowded pier.
When it comes to lures, mackerel will sometimes take a bare silver hook or virtually anything put in front of them but on other occasions you will find a particular type of lure outscores the rest.
Modern lures may be more sophisticated but both work by creating fizz and water disturbance, whether it’s old-fashioned white feathers or tiny sabikis and daylights.
Fish them “sink and draw” on the retrieve, to imitate the small prey fish such as sandeels and whitebait.
You cast out a string, let them sink to the required depth, dip the rod a few times before lifting and repeat the process.
Tight lines if you’re fishing in the sunshine this weekend.
