Page 75 - Bush 'n Beach Fishing magazine

Targeting spanish mackerel in the Torres Strait
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Strong southeast trade winds dur-
times – such as the first two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset – can increase your chances of getting connected to one of these speedsters.
for these speedsters because they initially go for the tail of larger baitfish to disable it and quite of- ten launch well clear of the water, then when they land they spin back around to finish the baitfish off.
ing the dry season make it a chal- lenge to venture wide, so I target spanish in close on the neap tide when the current eases and the water clears again. In other parts of the country, many mackerel fish- ers would typically target spaniards around the moon, particularly in the lead up to a new moon.
Spaniards will feed higher in the water column during these periods, so trolling wog heads rigged with garfish and wolf herring on a chin guard with a set of heavy duty gangs are great options. Hard-bodies such as Rapala X-Rap Magnums and Halco Laser Pros are a couple of favourite mackerel lures and could be an easier option for those getting into the game.
Many local fishers in the Torres Strait will drag metal spoons on a rope line with a rubber tube as a shock absorber. Commercial opera- tors also use this method. Mackerel are part of the razor gang and will easily slice through 100lb leader.
During these times, larger tidal movements create pressure points and current lines where bait and fish such as mackerel congregate. As well as water clarity, water tem- peratures are an important consid- eration, however we don’t have to worry too much about temps in the tropics because it holds above 23C.
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The author with a nice mackerel taken on a butter knife. Check these out on the Fishing MissionsYouTube channel.
Matt Arkell and the author hooked a monster early morning mackerel, which fought like a stubborn giant trevally and was released.
Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2020 – Page 75
If you are new to the game and want to increase your chances of catching mackerel, it is essential to target likely areas and use the right tactic for the right time of day. Pressure points where a cur- rent hits structure are mackerel hot spots as they hold baitfish. Locating reef points, headlands, wrecks and shoals will increase your chances.
Silver Blue Mac, Red Heads and Lime Light UV are a few favourite colours. While there may be debate over the best colours, I find the actu- al troll speed is an important factor often overlooked.
One particular area I find good numbers of mackerel is around iso- lated shoals, also called as ‘high spots’ because a noticeable depth change creates a significant pres- sure point. For example, the depth may rise from 30m to 9m to a small isolated reef system.
We’ve had some wild sessions on mackerel shooting skywards as they hit surface lures. It is great visual fishing that gets the heart racing, but it does not always result in a hook-up.
Working out current direction and noting where it’s hitting the shoal will assist in narrowing down your search. Trolling in figure eights should have you locating the bait and noting arches on the scanner screen, which will hopefully result in a hook-up.
As with all fishing, finding the bait is the key to success. I will locate spanish mackerel hot spots using Navionics while sitting on the couch, which is part of the planning process for a typical trip to a new area. If you can narrow down the search before you leave home, you can save a lot of time on the water.
Mackerel can be caught through- out the day, however fishing prime
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You want to initiate an attack re- sponse, so don’t hesitate to tap the throttle control down and troll a little faster. I usually troll at around eight knots. Another early morning and late afternoon method is casting stickbaits or poppers at reef edges, shoals and rocky headlands.
This is a typical feeding behaviour