If you can match the size of the Spanish mackerel to the size of the billfish you are looking for, there is simply no better dead bait to pull in. Other excellent baits include ballyhoo, mullet, bonito, and squid. When attempting to eat one, every species of billfish and tuna will swim out of their skin!
Since they have the same compressed body shape as Spanish mackerel and only differ from it in size and coloration, other mackerel species like Cero, Sierra, and the Australian “doggie” mackerel also make excellent baits. But when it comes to availability, the traditional Spanish mackerel from the Atlantic beats them all.
Baby Spanish mackerel are easy to catch in sizes that would make them excellent baits for smaller billfish species like white marlin, striped marlin, and sailfish, but doing so can lead to conflict with both local and federal fisheries officers. Small ballyhoo and finger mullet are better options for sailfish baits due to the steep fines associated with keeping illegal mackerel. But when pursuing marlin over 200 pounds, Spanish mackerel is the preferred dead bait. Giant bluefin tuna adore them, so use them on your tuna rigs as well. Advertisement.
Spanish mackerel populations in the Gulf of Mexico and along the eastern seaboard experienced a significant rebound thanks to the Florida gill-net ban in state waters. Since current mackerel populations allow even the least experienced anglers to catch their daily limit, this gave rise to a massive recreational fishery. It’s simple and enjoyable for everyone to get a supply of mackerel bait and a nice meal for the family.
How to Rig A Live Ballyhoo
How to Rig A Live Threadfin Herring
Northeast – Capt. John Raguso
Captain-for-hire John Raguso, who is based in Long Island, New York, specializes in teaching anglers how to locate and catch offshore fish aboard their own boats. Learning how to fish with live bait for species like dolphin, sharks, swordfish, and tuna plays a significant role. Squid, menhaden, snapper, bluefish, and a number of species of small or juvenile jacks are some of this skipper’s favorite live baits.
Here, he explains how to hook baitfish favorites.
For offshore species like dolphin, tuna, mako, and thresher sharks, small bar jacks, young amberjacks, and blue runners in the 5- to 8-inch size range are effective.
When offshore fishing at night, squid occasionally appear near a boat, especially if you have underwater lights on. Raguso uses squid jigs in addition to a long-handled net to catch these 9 to 15-inch-long baits.
Don’t crowd menhaden in a bait tank because they don’t do well there. The best baits are 5 to 9 inches, says Raguso.
Snapper bluefish between 4 and 8 inches long are resilient and do well in a livewell. They are excellent for a variety of offshore fish, such as tuna, sharks, and dolphin. Here are Capt. John Raguso’s tips for hooking them.
Southern California – Capt. Mark Wisch
Fishing off Southern California for more than 55 years, Capt. The originator of live-bait fishing in the Pacific, Mark Wisch is the expert on fishing in this region.
Along the stretch of coast that runs from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border, Wisch’s top four live baits are also the most popular. He enjoys eating opalescent squid, northern anchovies, Pacific mackerel, and Pacific sardines.
Here are his methods for how to rig live bait.
How to Rig A Live Blue Runner (Hardtail)
FAQ
How do you hook live bait to mackerel?
When free-lining for kingfish and cero mackerel, a 4 or 6 VMC 9226 BN treble hook through the back just behind the gills causes the ballyhoo to swim away but remain on the surface.
How do you hook mackerel to fish?
The ideal all-purpose hook size for surf fishing is a 2/0 hook. A 2/0 circle hook is large enough to hook larger fish like bluefish, mackerel, fluke, flounder, redfish, snook, and tarpon as well as smaller ones like whiting and pompano.
