How to Catch Spanish Mackerel

By Captain Dave Tilley

Here's some fishing that anyone with a boat and a couple of sticks can do.

Spanish Mackerel are fun to catch and good to eat.  They migrate annually up and down the east coast of the United States. First go to the tackle store and get a couple small spoons called Clark Spoons and 1 torpedo weight. Clark is a brand name. If they do not have Clark ask them for something like them, they will know what you are talking about.

 Early in the morning or late in the day, go to the sea buoy at your local inlet. Take 1 spoon and tie it on the line. Now pull out about 10 feet of line with the spoon tied on the end and cut it. Now tie on the torpedo weight. You should have line, torpedo weight, ten feet of line, spoon. Tie the second spoon on to the end of the other line with no weight. Ok we are ready to fish. Put the boat in gear and get give it gas until you just start to pull a small wake. Spanish like it a little on the fast side. Drop the unweighted spoon in the water and put out 100 to 150 feet of line. Set the drag on the loose side (couple of lbs) so that it will keep the spoon from taking line. This one is the surface bait and we will want it to be the furthest back. Put this rod in the right side rod holder. Now drop the other spoon in the water along with the weight and give it line till it is about 50 to 75 feet back. You want this one to be easily shorter than the other one. Set to drag and put it on the rod holder on the left side. Congrad's you are now trolling for Spanish.

Here's the deal, as you are trolling along, only make your turns toward the short side, the left in this case. That way you will not tangle the lines. ( In theory anyway ) Now look around you for bird's diving in the water or fish jumping and troll right on over. When you sight fish in the water do not, I repeat, do not troll straight
through them. Make an arching turn around them so the boat stays outside the school but the baits drag through the school in the direction that the school is moving.  If you troll straight through them the fish will dive and you will loose them. (The other fishermen will call you BAD names)

On a falling tide you can also work the tide line. The tide line is the line made by the dirty water coming out of the inlet.  Follow the tide line around keeping your bait in the clear water side of the line. Try different speeds until you find what works.

Spanish fishing is easy to do and is a lot of fun. When you catch your fill, fillet them up and put them on the grill skin side down with a little butter and garlic. Good stuff. Hope you have a great time.

Tight Lines and Slight Seas