Moreton Bay Classic Target Species Hints & Tips – Mackerel

[AFO]

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Moreton Bay Classic Target Species Hints & Tips – Mackerel

Mackerel are part of a large group of species called pelagic’s. They are migratory and feed upon other fish which sets the scene immediately on how to target them. There are 3 main species that are commonly caught in and around the Brisbane area. These 3 species are: School Mackerel, Spotted Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel. Spanish Mackerel or “Spaniards†are easily the largest of the species thus making them a highly sought after sports fish.

Mackerel visit South East QLD in summer and the best months to target them are from January to March when the water really warms up and the baitfish arrive in numbers. They can be caught outside this time frame with School Mackerel and Spotted Mackerel being found in the bay but just not as often. Mackerel have exceptional eye sight which they use as their number one weapon, seeing their prey before it sees them. They then use  their phenomenal speed to seal the deal. All Mackerel species have extremely sharp teeth and need to be handled with care as they will strip your flesh down to the bone very easily. Mackerel like tuna, marlin, wahoo and kingfish can encircle baitfish and push them to the surface where they take turns at swimming through them to eat.

Picture 1: AFO member Boydy with a whopping 1.37m Spaniard taken on a whole Mack Tuna on the inside of Moreton Island.

In my opinion there are 4 ways to target these fish:

1:  looking for the bait balls and birds circling then approaching from up current then drifting down and throwing lures at them with high speed retrieves. Moreton Bay around any of the shipping channels is good for this.

2: anchoring up or drifting the beacons in the shipping channel and using livies or floating and sinking pilchards and other baits around the beacon. Good spots for this in the bay are along the western side of Moreton Island or out in front of Bribie Island.

3: trolling lures or baits around reefs or structure like beacons or rocky outcrops with deep water around. Common baits are live or fresh dead yakkas, gar, slimy mackerel, bonito etc. Popular lures include rapalas, silver spoons, skirted lures etc.

4: anchoring or drifting a reef which is my preferred method and using livies or baits floated and sinking. Burleying brings them to you while anchored and you can use chopped up or minced pilchards, chook pellets, prawn shells and tuna oil etc. The mackerel tend to visit inshore reefs from sunshine coast to over into NSW and a lot of these reefs are just gravely bottoms.

Wire leaders are commonly used for these fish because of their teeth and there are a few different types but I like the single strand around 30 to 40lb breaking strain but if it kinks it must be cut and retied. These fish will strike a bait at speed and will need the drag set to a firm 1/3 breaking strain of the line. Do not leave it in free spool or on bait runner as they will shake your hook in a blink of an eye.

A gaff is preferred to land them as they will go straight throw a landing net with their sharp teeth, then a tap to the head with a length of wood to settle them from thrashing about in the boat. Bleeding mackerel improves the flesh for eating and icing down in an esky will keep your fish for 3 days if camping. I like to add a bit of salt water to make it a slurry.

Good luck!

Mark Sheehan

[Angus]

Great read Mark very informative.

Thanks for your efforts on AFO's behalf.

If anyone wants to have a crack at an article for any of the other target species please feel free. If a couple are submitted on the same species we can merge all the relevant info and credit both authors.

Cheers.

Angus

[Rocket75]

great read there! that's a species that I have yet to land (or fish for really) so the advice will be really valuable when I get the opportunity.

thanks for the time and effort :cheer:

[tugger]

there's probably one tip i left out that has effect with the mackerel's good eyesight which is presenting baits the best you can look for pilchards etc that are perfect with no skin missing and while rigging handle with care

mark

[daveylad]

I'm off out to buy some Raplas, silverspoons and a Gaff, Thanks for the infohopefully get to try for one on saturday in the Bay

Dave

[Angus]

daveylad wrote:

I'm off out to buy some Raplas, silverspoons and a Gaff, Thanks for the infohopefully get to try for one on saturday in the Bay

Dave

Hahaha good luck Daveylad.

It would be good to see a few more caught this year, altough there are plenty to choose from...

Angus

[tugger]

hints for tailor for the moreton bay classic

during the classic this year should see a lot of tailor kicking around and there are a few methods to tageting these species in the bay.

1; throwing metal slugs at bait balls busting the surface and they can be located by looking for the birds hovering and diving through out the bay especially around the bar entrances and the mouths of the rivers

2; having a pilchard floating out while your targeting other fish on reef edges and around beacons in the bay

3; have a bait on or near the bottom to cover the other parts of the water column

while chasing tailor it helps if you use light wire or 40lb + flurocarbon leader as they can cut through your line easily or if using gang hooks have the last hook through the eye of the pilchard so the shank of the hook extends past the baits nose to prevent the snip off.

best baits are pilchards, fillets of pike or mullet, small livies like herring or prawns etc, whole small squid and many more as tailor are a agressive preditor.

they are a schooling fish and can be in big numbers so once located or caught they can be tempted to stay put for a while with burley.

there are many ways of chasing them with lures and plastics but i'll leave that to others with more experience than me in that way.

feel free to add to this as there are many ways to fish for tailor

good luck

mark