Spanish Mackerel are one of the most rewarding fishes to shoot!
January 16, 2014 2 min read
Most rewarding because mainly Spanish Mackerel can run hard and put up a decent fight, these fish can be very exciting. They are not terribly difficult to shoot but getting the right shot placement will help you land the largest of these amazing fish. I have found these fish in many locations around Australia and the South Pacific and their behavior seems to be similar no matter what the location. And did I mention they are delicious !!!!!
They are attracted to Flashers, Burley and chum and the signals of struggling or shot fish. I have even seen people attract these fish by slapping the surface of the water, they can be found in very large schools but I have found most of the larger ones either swimming alone or in a school of 2-3 fish.
There are a few different methods of getting close enough to shoot these fish, If you see them swimming when you are on the surface, a careful duck dive down to the level the fish are swimming at is the first step, you will then get a feeling if they intimidated by your presence or not. If you are lucky you will close the gap pretty quickly and get close enough to take your shot.
If the fish starts swimming away I have found by swimming either just slightly off on an angle or directly behind the fish (and your breath hold is good) for long enough they become curious enough and turn back to check you out normally presenting a “broad side” shot opportunity.
A good float and correct rigging will defiantly improve your chances of landing this amazing fish. At ADRENO we have a great range of equipment to help you. Check out our Speargun category for some of our favourite products for shooting Mackerel.
Cheers,
Robbie Lewis
