Mega Mackerel thread 2018 - reports, queries and chat

omgitsjoshi

i'm going to go out again near galway docks area some time this week will let you know if i catch anything. Might still be a bit early we had a late winter this year might of effected them .

Ultimate Seduction

Got about 40 (5 of us fishing 2 hours) of them near kilkee last week off the rocks. Not a great size yet though. Will prob keep them for bait

Williamjg

I want to try and use a fly rod for just 1 or 2 macks
Say it would be a bit of fun. A change from the usual mackerel rod. The fella in duffys in town told me that fly fishing for mackerel is tons of fun

SeaFields

MOD. I merged a few threads here and all mackerel talk can go here for the summer. Enjoy.

Rows Grower

Williamjg wrote: »

I want to try and use a fly rod for just 1 or 2 macks
Say it would be a bit of fun. A change from the usual mackerel rod. The fella in duffys in town told me that fly fishing for mackerel is tons of fun

Savage sport altogether when you get a mackeral on fly, and when they are plentiful they will snap at anything that moves. Just make sure you have plenty of space from other anglers or there could be fierce tangling going on.

Pound for pound the mackeral must be one of the best fish to put up a fight.

Ultimate Seduction

Rows Grower wrote: »

Savage sport altogether when you get a mackeral on fly, and when they are plentiful they will snap at anything that moves. Just make sure you have plenty of space from other anglers or there could be fierce tangling going on.

Pound for pound the mackeral must be one of the best fish to put up a fight.

Agree 100% I've never caught on the fly but got one on a light spinning rod with 4 lb line. Unbelievable battle.

bpmurray

Williamjg wrote: »

I want to try and use a fly rod for just 1 or 2 macks
Say it would be a bit of fun. A change from the usual mackerel rod. The fella in duffys in town told me that fly fishing for mackerel is tons of fun

You should try for big coalfish - here's a small one of around 15lbs being landed in Norway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HNQSGLApj4

Nesta99

malinheader wrote: »

Sorry lads but it was the drift net fishermen around our coasts who always got the blame for the decreasing numbers of salmon and subsiquently had to deal with a big loss to there livelihoods when it was banned. And since the banning of all drift netting which had a very damaging effect on a lot of small coastal communities the numbers of salmon have been on a drastic decrease ever since.

Can i ask the reasons behind this?

gre

Was down in bridges Ross in Co Clare at the weekend caught no mackeral was a bad day to be fair but you guys know if it's still too early for them this time of year or should I vary spots???

Gloomtastic!

Nothing off Howth on Saturday that I could see

gre

I think perhaps end of June July they may surge hopefullyðŸ™

gre

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Got about 40 (5 of us fishing 2 hours) of them near kilkee last week off the rocks. Not a great size yet though. Will prob keep them for bait

Which part of kilkee pal??

dodderangler

gre wrote: »

I think perhaps end of June July they may surge hopefullyðŸ™

Normally I'll wait till august. They taste better anyway.

gre

dodderangler wrote: »

Normally I'll wait till august. They taste better anyway.

I may just go lake fishing til then so😄

Ultimate Seduction

gre wrote: »

Which part of kilkee pal??

Dunlicky

snowstreams

Are Mackerel getting rarer each year? Harder to catch them each year.

I didnt catch a single fish when out in a boat in Clew bay at the weekend.
The only sea life I saw was swarms and swarms of jellyfish.

If only jellyfish were worth eating!

Marcmc

snowstreams wrote: »

Are Mackerel getting rarer each year? Harder to catch them each year.

I didnt catch a single fish when out in a boat in Clew bay at the weekend.
The only sea life I saw was swarms and swarms of jellyfish.

If only jellyfish were worth eating!

Unfortunately they are gettin rarer and the east coast is said to be even worse. I seen dried jellyfish for sale before so they might be worth tryin

TomOnBoard

Marcmc wrote: »

Unfortunately they are gettin rarer and the east coast is said to be even worse. I seen dried jellyfish for sale before so they might be worth tryin

Jellyfish are a delicacy in parts of Asia. Also a guy in Denmark made Jellyfish crisps recently. Quite delicious by all accounts...

gre

I think it's usually late in the summer then show up pal I do reckon catches are more of a challenge now days

Ultimate Seduction

gre wrote: »

I think it's usually late in the summer then show up pal I do reckon catches are more of a challenge now days

Wouldnt say a challenge, but definitely fewer and later every year.

Czhornet

gre wrote: »

I think it's usually late in the summer then show up pal I do reckon catches are more of a challenge now days

Definitely less and less every year, when i started 10 years ago i would be throwing back the small ones, now i'm lucky yo get a bite at all!

Ultimate Seduction

Hopefully this weather brings them in good numbers this year, although it's very early. Late August is the time

luke9311

Looking for people to head out with me to fish around Dublin area as im new-ish to it. Poolbeg is the closest to me but i really dont mind too much tho. anyone willing to help? Cheers and thanks

gre

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Hopefully this weather brings them in good numbers this year, although it's very early. Late August is the time

I don't think the weather makes a difference it's just timing the tides and the month being August will only matter😊

Ultimate Seduction

gre wrote: »

I don't think the weather makes a difference it's just timing the tides and the month being August will only matter😊

I'd have thought they come in for food in the warm water. IFI website agreed saying they come here once sea temps are 14c. It's passed that now. I agree though, Late August and all of Sept is best

flended12

Hearing there was mackerel showing in howth yesterday. Not a lot but perhaps it's beginning. "Winter....." I mean "Mackerel is coming" 😎

gre

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

I'd have thought they come in for food in the warm water. IFI website agreed saying they come here once sea temps are 14c. It's passed that now. I agree though, Late August and all of Sept is best

More the dolphins feeding on them that's what happens they get chased in to shore rocks etc..I'll be going out tomorrow I'll keep Ye guy's posted

Atlantic Dawn

In the 80's I remember catching them about 80-100 in a fish box, more recently it was nearer 180-200 to a box, much smaller sized fish now, you might get a run of larger fish for a few days and that's it.

Sam Quentin

Expect Mackeral early this year and definitely before mid August.. Warmer waters abundance of fry near shore, I expect the beach fishing to start soon...

Ultimate Seduction

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Expect Mackeral early this year and definitely before mid August.. Warmer waters abundance of fry near shore, I expect the beach fishing to start soon...

Although we have had a scorching few weeks, sea temps are the same at this time as they are the last 10 years so chill

*I only learned this yesterday