Summer is prime time for mackerel

DESTIN, FL - If you're looking to catch a king mackerel, now is the time.

"It usually starts in June and is good through September," Matt McLeod told the more than 50 people gathered at Hooters for the Emerald Coast Saltwater Seminar Series.

McLeod has fished the Southern Kingfish Association for about 10 years and now owns a bait and tackle store in Gulf Breeze. However, he spent a little over an hour sharing with the group the where, how and when to catch king mackerel.

"The best time is during the summertime," McLeod said, noting they feed on such things as row mullet and pogeys.

"Look for places that have a lot of bait. Mackerel will roam around and follow warm water and especially the bait."

Where and how
McLeod said south of Destin on the Edge, holds a large number of fish.

"A large mackerel eats big bait," he said. "They hate bluefish and they'll eat quick."

McLeod said mackerel can be caught in close along the beach in about 80 to 90 feet of water or less.

"Look for the water to be clean, green ... and look for activity - bait fish," he said.

He said trolling artificals or live baits are both good, but the key with live bait trolling is to go slow.

"You want your bait to run straight," he told them. "It's most important that it doesn't spin around."

And he uses two hooks.

McLeod explained that a king mackerel will get under the bait and start a circle. He'll then come  - skyrocketing up from the bottom.

"It's a short striker and sometimes bites your bait in half ... but drop it back naturally," he said. "They'll come back."

"A big fish doesn't usually miss it," McLeod said. "They get it in one shot."

He also said he doesn't use monofilament.

"You want to use wire, because they'll bite through monofilament." And the size of the wire depends on the size of the bait, and the same goes for the hook.

When fishing with an artificial such as a spoon, he says, pull it quick.

"You want it to come ripping through the water, so he doesn't get a good look at it. A spoon is the only thing you want to spin," he added.

For live bait fishing, "the funniest way to go is slow," he said.

He suggested 20- to 30-pound line, a No. 5 wire and a No. 2 treble hook.

"You want to match your tackle to your bait," McLeod said.

When slow trolling, he said he puts out two baits on top - one short and one long.

"The short one is where I can see it all the time, on a short leash," he said.

At the same time, he also fishes with a downrigger which lets you drop a bait deeper. He drops it about 20 to 30 feet behind the boat.

The speed is slow. "You just want the boat in gear," he said.

"Do circles around wrecks or natural bottom rocks. The baits look so much better this way."

How deep do you fish the downrigger?

Split the water column. If you're fishing in 90 feet of water, he suggested dropping one down at 35 feet and the other at 60.

"We've caught as many on downriggers as the top water baits," McLeod said.

"Mackerel will come up close to the motors," he said. "They like the water being churned up. Some of the biggest have come right up to the boat."

From the pier
The major difference in king mackerel fishing from the pier is "you're in a stationary place," he said.

Live bait is always best when fishing off the piers.

From the Pensacola pier he suggested using larger baits. As for the Okaloosa Island pier, smaller baits are best. Also the Okaloosa pier has more fish.

Early morning seems to be the best time to catch the kings and around 2 p.m.

"If there's not bait, most likely there's no fish," he said.

Rod and reels
A high speed reel is good because they "run out there fast."

"A light tip helps to put the right amount of pressure on the fish," he said. "Let the rod do the work."

He suggested a 6-1/2- to 7-foot rod.

"Big hooks and big tackle catch big fish," McLeod said.

When the king takes the bait, "Get on top of him as fast as you can," he said.

"They run off a lot of line the first time ... they usually have two runs in them," he said, noting that a 50-pounder can run off a lot of line.

Nevertheless, he said, "don't get into big of a hurry. Be calm. Get your stuff up, the downriggers, and get on top of him."

McLeod said there is nothing wrong with using a spinning rod, but the high speed reel holds more line.

"They're more powerful and you can put more heat on it," he said.

"Never set the hook," McLeod said. "When he eats let him take off."

Getting it in the boat
When you get the fish close to the boat, "be gentle with him, ease him up, then gaff him."

He uses a 12-foot gaff.

"Try to stick him in the shoulder or midsection," he said.

"Stick ‘em and get him in the boat all in one motion."

McLeod suggested that you wedge the mackerel up in the corner of the boat and "let him throw his fit" where he can't hurt anyone.

Once he calms down put him in the box on ice.

The limit
Anglers can catch two king mackerel per day. And it has to be 24 inch to the fork.

As for Spanish mackerel, the limit is 15 per person each day and 12 inch to the fork.