Capt. Jim’s top six Spanish mackerel fishing lures are listed in this article. Capt Jim has been running Sarasota fishing charters since 1991. He thinks Spanish mackerel are an underappreciated game fish and enjoys pursuing them. They are attractive, fierce fighters who attack lures and flies with reckless abandon, and when freshly prepared, they make excellent table fare. The Atlantic and Gulf coasts are covered in Spanish mackerel.
By clicking the title link, anglers can pay $5 to purchase Capt. Jim’s e-book, “Inshore Saltwater Fishing.” It has 23,000 words and discusses species, tackle, and tactics.
Terry fished a small bird teaser with a 20-foot leader and a second tiny, green spoon from the fifth rod. A 16-inch piece of 100-pound mono with a few large beads on either side and a 250-pound snap swivel at either end of the short leader were used by Terry to rig the bird.
The most thrilling method for catching Spanish involves casting lures, even though trolling spoons can be a quick and simple way to have fun. I grab a light-action spinning rod and a small spoon or jerkbait when the fish start to fire up and actively feed on schools of bait.
She laughs, “First thing, I pick up the starter pack of Spanish mackerel.” This includes a 12-pack of Gulfstream Lures Flash Minnows and two blocks of glass-minnow chum.
Fortunately, Virginia Beach hosts a dedicated fleet of charter captains who spend every day fishing just offshore of this tourist town’s oceanfront high rises. I dropped a line to old friend Capt. Nolan Agner and he hooked me up to fish with Capt. Luke Jennings and mate Fisher Terry on the 40-foot deadrise workboat Smack Down.
Terry connected two rods and No. 3 and 4 ounce trolling sinkers to his lures to alter their depth. 1 planers to another two. Terry attached a 150-pound-test swivel, a 250-pound snap swivel, and 10 more feet of 40-pound leader to the opposite end of the sinker or planer. A Clark Spoon Squid in sizes 00 to 1 was at the end of the long leader. Terry said, displaying a minnow-sized green-glitter metal lure, “Green is my favorite color.
Capt Jim’s best 6 Spanish mackerel fishing lures are:
#8 Rapala X-Rap
Crocodile casting spoon
Clark trolling spoon
Bass Assassin Sea Shad baits
Gotcha lures
Diamond jigs
Spanish mackerel are aggressive feeders. They catch prey in crystal-clear water and kill or injure it with their razor-sharp teeth. Then, they come back through and clean up the scraps. For this reason, the best lure for pursuing Spanish mackerel is one that flashes and moves quickly. In this link, anglers can learn more about fishing for Spanish mackerel.
Chumming for Spanish mackerel
Chumming is a highly successful method for anglers fishing for Spanish mackerel. Simply put, this is the practice of tossing live or frozen bait into the water in an effort to draw a school of fish. For a variety of species, chumming is a very widespread practice throughout the state of Florida. Chum comes in two basic forms; live or frozen.
The easiest type of chum for anglers to use is frozen. They are made of chunks of ground-up oily bait fish like sardines or menhaden. The chum block is then put in a mesh bag and fastened to the boat’s stern. Chum will spread throughout the region behind the boat as the block thaws out. Shaking the bag will increase the flow of chum for anglers.
Often, the first species to appear in the chum slick will be bait fish. Hopefully, game fish will soon show up behind them. Spanish mackerel and other species can be seen feeding in the chum slick when the water is clear. A strike will typically be attracted by a live bait or piece of cut bait drifted back into the chum. This technique is effective both when anchored over a hard surface or when drifting in open waters.
FAQ
Do you need a wire leader for Spanish mackerel?
Due to the Spanish mackerel’s keen vision, a fluorocarbon leader is a crucial component of the tackle. I use a uni-to-uni knot to secure a length of 3 to 4 feet of 15-pound test to the main line. The long leader comes in handy when fishing around jetties.
How long should Spanish mackerel leader be?
A strong leader is one rigging element that is essential for Spanish. 12-pound monofilament line will be quickly severed in two pieces if Spanish mackerel fish teeth contact it. Some anglers favor a short, light metal leader—eight inches—to connect the lure or bait to their line.
How much line do you let out when trolling for Spanish mackerel?
The same rig is used, consisting of a 8/0 circle hook and a 3 metre 80lb mono wind on with 80-100cm of 80lb single strand wire. Making sure the bait fish swims as naturally as possible, insert the circle hook through its nose and troll at about two knots, releasing about 70 to 80 meters of line.
What size hooks for Spanish mackerel?
Use a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook if you’re going after smaller mackerel species like Spanish or Cero Mackerel. Live bait, dead bait, and lures are all readily consumed by both of these mackerel species.
