ANY SCHOOL MACKIES YET

[SNAFU]

HI ALL, just wondering when the school mackies show up in bay and where would be a good place to try. mate got a just keeper on sunday N/W side of mud but that was all.
SNAFU.

[Scott15]

I think the season just ended. But around the beacons should still produce some mackeral either on livies or lures. And there was one small school ripping up bait also on the N/W side of mud

[Fishinmishin]

Havent been out for a bit but they seem pretty consistant on the beacons and dropoffs during the colder months. Always bite better with the stronger tidal flows. Rarely we dont pull up a couple by drifting a livey past the beacons as some days you cant jig up enough bait without them biting you off until you pulled a couple outta the water. Some beacons are more consistent then others so explore and watch the sounder. ;)
Cheers, Jay

[Jeremy]

I think the season just ended. But around the beacons should still produce some mackeral either on livies or lures. And there was one small school ripping up bait also on the N/W side of mud

Scott, it is very rare, if ever, that you will find school mackerel surface feeding. They might have been mack tuna or tailor? What made you think they were school mackerel?

Actually, it seems to me that school mackerel are available all year round in SE Qld. Right now there are heaps on the close reefs out from Caloundra, and I catch them in June and July around Amity. I think early spring would probably be the worst time for them.

Jeremy

[Scott15]

Jeremy,
I was refering to any mackeral not just the schoolies. Sorry I should have made it more clear. the slices were deffinately not mack tuna or tailor.Also the slices were only about 3m away from the beacon

[Sportfish_5]

Schoolies definitley feed on the surface at times (depends on bait schools) but youre best bet now will be to anchor up near a marker/drop off and berley hard then set out floaters or jig the markers with 40gm+ twisters etc. Last October I was in the middle of big schools out near the NW12 feedin on the surface.

Heres one of about 20 I got in a short session on the old mackmauler slug.

Cheers

Greg

[mackmauler]

Jeremy, used to be the way but the last couple yrs never seen so many surface feeding, I was out in the north bay around the time scott and jay were cleanin up and the schools rivalled spottys at there best.

[vertico]

Rob and I saw plenty of schools one day off bribie smashing bait , we had to fight through the schoolies to get to the spotties

[jimbo59]

The school macs are thicker during winter months,even down to pats point in august!

[Jeremy]

OK thanks Rob and Scott, I stand corrected there.

Jeremy