Super Mackeral Bait?

[Eagle]

I went over to Outer Rock last friday and drifted a pilly in 60 feet of water. It slowly sank to the bottom where I had a fantastic intant bite like an explosion. This thing was very obviously BIG!
It was all over in 15 seconds as it then spat the 3 ganged 4/0 hooks out. I tried again and exactly the same thing happened. I managed to get the fish up from the bottom only about 5 feet. This thing went off like an express train. Never had anymore strikes after those two. Had no idea what it/they were.
Went back to the same spot on Monday and the same thing happened. However, this time I got it and after a fabulous fight, I had it in the boat. It was a huge mackeral of some sort. We caught no more so we went over to Conical Rocks and met up with the Water Police checking out the safety gear. These fellas are the nicest blokes I have ever met, fair dinkum! I showed them the mackeral but they were unable to ID it successfully. When I got home, I pulled out Ernie Grants Guide to Fishes and found to my suprise that I had a huge School Mackeral (or Doggie Mackeral). It was about 750mm /800mm long. No, I didn't get to run a tape on it, just a quick check on the gauge in the boat. However, when I was gutting the mackeral, I found what it had been feeding on. It's stomach and gut were STUFFED FULL with GRINNERS. Yes! Grinners. The biggest one (and not yet digested) was 175mm long. I am certain that the fish I lost on Friday were also mackeral that were feeding on the Grinners as well. The mackeral that I landed took the pillie off the bottom, and fought exactly the same way as the two fish I had lost on Friday.
So the comment is, Grinners may make a fabulous bait for mackeral!

Eagle

[Pistol_P]

Well thats good news....the more grinners that get eaten the better.

Nice catch by the way.

Cheers
Pete

[Runamuck]

I gunna do my bit now thanks to your comments. I will let you know how it all pans out.

[Fisher4life]

I have also found that the grinner's are a fairly good bait both live and strip for moreton bay snapper

[Lucky_Phill]

You didn't hear it from me, but Grinner are prime trolling baits for Spanish. ssshhh !!!!!

Phill

[Shark_catcher]

What does a grinner look like??

[killitfillit]

the grinners got thicker and bigger when ring netters nocked the mackeral stocks around

[jtpython]

We use to troll lures along long beach there eagle at kepple island and use them at hanners when it was the go for spanish 15 years ago we use to rent a house on great keppel island. Over the years with the better quality of pillie 's we never really kept it up.