chasing mackerel off mooloolabar

[stessco]

heading out sunday off mooloolabar to chase some mackerel for the first time. I have only ever chased snapper in the area. Do I troll for them, live bait, look for birds and throw slags, some tips would be great to get started as Im keen to get my first mackerel, thanks cheers stessco

[Fishobloke]

Gday Stessco,
Mackerel fishin has been a hot topic, i'm sure if you "search" you will find heaps of info including recent and old useful tips.
Keep you busy reading for hours while counting down til Sunday! :D
Good luck!

[wags on the water]

Stessco,

Look for the birds and the other boats. Try throwing slugs (as slags don't work too well)... If no hits on the slugs, try throwing a lightly weighted pilly. Slugs worked in the past include - Raider and maniac lures in 20 & 40g, I've also nailed spotties on an 80g raider. They say match the hatch (baitfish) although when they're hungry...you never know.

Good luck.

Wags

Try to avoid racing up to a tuna boil as it will only scare them off and you may annoy other boaties fishing the school.

[burleygu]

stessco. ill give it away to you. when the mackeral are on or around particulary off mooloolaba you will most certainly find a few around leachs shoal. one side of the shoal has around a 8 meter drop i think? cant recall the size of the drop but its decent. this creates a big upward surge from the current and trolling drfitbaiting this area usually always produces. hook'd quite a few out there 2 weeks ago. i prefer a good burley trail and floating a cpl of pillies on gangs behind the boat. ensure your gangs are sufficent enough to be exposed in the size pilchard you are using. run one weightless and one with a small ball.

[Just_chips]

Hey Nick try trolling a halco laser pro in either a 120 or 160 size if fish are not evident. If they are on the go and you find birds working and fish hitting the surface watch them for a bit and work out which way they are pushing the bait, (often into the wind) try and position your boat to intercept them by gliding into position (not motoring into the school at a million miles an hour as this will only send them down) then you can start chucking slags at them if you like but I prefer slugs :P (20 to 40 as stated above). Good luck with the chase. The coolum area has been producing a few fish also ;)

Kev

[mangrove rat]

basically just arm yourself with a tacklebox full of slugs from small and medium through to large, i found that mackeral will usually hit any slug and size, found tuna are more fussy in those terms. defiinatley let us know how you go mate!
cheers, andrew