Fishing for Spanish Mackerel

The Spanish mackerel, (Scomberomorus brasiliensis), is a species of fish in the family Scombridae. Specimens have been recorded at up to 125 cm in length, and weighing up to 6,710 g. It is found in the western Atlantic, along the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of Central and South America from Belize to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Literature records for S. maculatus (Atlantic Spanish mackerel) from the area apply to S. brasiliensis (Serra Spanish mackerel), which has erroneously been considered a synonym of S. maculatus by many authors. It feeds on small fish, squids/cuttlefish, shrimps/prawns, and isopods.

Mako, a 41 foot Steber Charterboat was our home for the next four days on an extended fishing charter to the Great Barrier reef Fishing for Spanish Mackerel.

Guests onboard were Mark and Steve from Warrnambool, and Jason Kennedy from Southern Cross and the TV Show “Fishing Trip”, also from Victoria.

The weather had been ugly, but the strong winds were easing off nicely for our fishing trip thankfully.Our leading choice was to run some lures for Spanish Mackerel at a proven hotspot, and see if anybody home. The lures were quickly belted by screaming Spanish Mackerel and immense runs.

The noisy diesels act as a big fish attractor turning on a hot Spanish Mackerel session. A two-fold hookup quick followed with one Spanish leaping into the sky. I was thinking billfish, but this poor fish was just trying to escape from the sharks. This Spanish mackerel was a goner, and all Steve managed was one shortened spanish mackerel. As lures were run for the second time, they’d just been set, 30 seconds and on again, another hookup, reel busting stuff. Some rippa fishing action followed with multiple hookups and fish landed over the next 45 minutes.

A tally of three double hook ups also resulting in some astounded guests. An brilliant start to the fishing trip with 8 prime spanish mackerel and the Esky was looking good already. The (King) Spanish Mackerel were loving the lures and weighed around the 10 kilo mark.

Our favourite lures were the Halco lazer pro’s and Berkley frenzy lures, and were working overtime catching the fish. A fishing tip, run several lures if possible at various depths and distances, with the deepest diver in close under the propwash. This is a perfect way to work varying depths, colours and avoid tangling your lures. The strikes were coming that fast we were struggling to get our lures out and set, it’s tough I know.

Trolling is possibly the best method of targetting Spanish Mackerel and Reefari is the gun Charter operator who can put you onto the fish!!

Make sure you visit Mackay on the Great Barrier Reef for some of the best reef and sports fishing on the planet as well as the Spanish Mackerel.

Tags: Angling, Billfish, Charter Operator, Diesels, Double Hook, Esky, Fish Attractor, Fishing, Fishing Charter, Fishing Trip, Game Fishing, Goner, Great Barrier Reef, Halco, Hook Ups, Jason Kennedy, King Mackerel, Offshore Fishing, Poor Fish, Propwash, Spanish King, Spanish Mackerel Fishing, Strong Winds, Warrnambool