What's your fav mac catching technique?

[Robbo76]

G'day everyone,

I am curious as to how people catch their mackerel. I more fish the bottom and would like to brush up on/learn some techniques you guys use to nail these beasts.

I have only ever caught 2 spanish so far and that was on the good ol float pillie. I have not spent much time on them. I was looking at mac lures and gees there are too many to choose from, I have tried trolling the skirt around for a while with no luck. I was shown how to rig up a pin rig with mullet, I will try this out, just seems a bit fiddly.

There are lot of lures and gismoes these days. I remember my grandfather only used the old spoon for macs. The people that come out with me are not too keen on trolling, but that's too bad now as I want to put more effort into it.

I am keen to go out and purchase some mac gear, I'm sure you lot can point me in the right direction.


Thanks all,
Rob

[Midnight]

Gday Rob,
The pro mack boats up north normally troll 2 lures. Normally a feathers style thingo, like a wog head, and a spoon off a paravane.
I like bibless lures like Mack Baits and tremblers, or Halco Pro's in crazy deep 7m diver.

Cheers,
Myles

[Member101]

hey rob,

My favourite technique for catching mackeral is to hook them in the lip and skull drag them in. LOL

I still use a spoon or a bright metal lure. not sure exactly what it is but it just spins in the water. Found it at the boat ramp. Doggies nail it whenever they are around.

I usually look for the bait schools moving around. Look for birds bomb diving the water repeatedly. Mackies are usually hanging around the bait that the birds are feeding off. Binoculars come in very handy for finding the birds.

Steve

[Robbo76]

Yes, the old skull drag technique. lol. Binoculars are great for spotting birds, problem is, i get a slap each time i turn them towards elis beach. I do tell her I'm looking for dive bombing birds.

The old spoon i have. Might just drag it around more then.

Good on ya buddy ,
Rob

[finding_time]

Slow trolling slimey mackeral with a 3/0 hoodlum in the nose and a trebble stinger in its arse and if you want a big mackeral swap the Slimey for a 2 kg bonito!

When the mackeral are on , one slimey = one mackeral, there that deadly!

[WestOzDesertFisher]

Big livebaits are probably the deadliest technique, trolling bibbed and bibbless minnows is probably easiest but I prefer spinning with 20-70g metals on as light as possible gear - feel the speed!

Damo

[whiteman]

Wolf herring are deadly. Fusilliers (live under a float) are also very good. Pillies work. Trolling, try the Halcos - 5m and 8m or any other combo. Just about anything above can work - it all depends upon finding them! I always get more action from the surface early morning otherwise a whole pillie on the bottom gets them. So many options. A mate of mine was bottom bashing off Hinchinbrook and lost about 1/2 dozon bits of gear - all snipped off. He finally hauled in a 20kg Spanniard and inside it was all his lost gear!

[MackerelMan]

Hey Robo,

I vary the method to suit what I think the fish are going to accept. In general, I find fish that are exposed to more fishing pressure are alot fussier than those further out. I personally do not like lures for fussy fish and like Whiteman, find rigged and slow trolled wolf herring to be great. I prefer a heavy chin weight and a very slow troll, basically need to get the herring down deep. I generally start with wire and if no good go to Jinkai and hope for the best. Out wider, gar on a wog head are great but rig for short strikes. I generally pull the hair off and use a plastic squid in stead. Skirts, bibless, minnows, slices and spoons all work. Knife jigs over bait balls can be productive and great fun in the right circumstances. Small mac tuna spun up on a slice and live rigged and trolled is probably my favourite method but not really productive. I personally dont do much pilly floating but know it works.

I have probably not been much help but my advice is you really need to have a bit of a tool kit with you so you can give the fish what they want on the day. I am still looking for that single magic weapon that consistently performs.

Anyhow, only my opinions.

[Robbo76]

All you guys have been helpful. Much appreciate it!

F/Time, thanks mate, will try that rig out for sure.

Mack.man, I guess that is what i'm looking for too, that magic single weapen. Will def try dragging a wolfy around, might be that weapen.

Westoz, big livies sounds good, Thanks. I will check out some Bibless lures also.

Whiteman, That has happened to me also, getting snipped off on the bottom many times. Buggers! I will grab some Halcos and try them.

I do have a handfull of metals in the box, I might grab some large minnows and some items mentioned above. A bit of everything won't hurt.

Thanks all,
Rob

[Pretzil]

Got to be casting chrome slugs at working birds, nothing beats the feeling when you are cranking a slug in on a TSS4 and the line screams off.

[Robbo76]

My old man has a lead moulding thingamebob. He made me some single hooks with the lead moulded around shank. He is going to hand it over to me so i can make my own "wog head" type lures.

I made this contraption up with one of the lead hooks. Might make a variety of these things with and without the skirts. Be interesting to see if it works.

[Robbo76]

This is what my grandold used to drag around, looks to be resin mould with broken shell bits in it.