Skillful Capture of A Spanish Mackerel

Photo/Article by Yanwen Xu
Translated by Gwen

Spanish mackerel, is also known as Pneumatophorus japonicus, which is a coastal pelagic fish. It is noted for its big mouth and eyes, spindle- shaped body. Head and back are blue-black; there is a prick in dorsal fin and anal fin. It has fierce character, sharp teeth, loves live food. This fish swims swiftly. Spanish mackerels gather together to chase after fishes in summer, autumn and especially in hot summer days.

This kind of fish usually migrates to the Huanghai Sea and the Bohai sea to look for food, and leaves for deep water or warm water in the South area to spend their winter when they grow up to about 500- 1000 grams. Spanish mackerels are one of fishing addicts’ favorite fish due to their fierce temper are challenging; the more flesh and less fish bone body construction make them taste better.

The Selection of Fishing Spot
You‘d better go fishing when the wind level reaches 4 or 5, or in the morning and evening tides (which refers to sunrise and sunset) A good timing requires that the tide to be down to half of it or flows back. Then you’d better fish by the island or rocks where the water is clear, the wave splashes and spays, and there is enough room you could throw your line.

The Requirement of Fishing Equipment
Choosing a 2.1-2.7-meter-length and 30-gram-weight lure fishing rod with spinning reel, for example Shimano 3000-4000, or tear drop reel such as Shimano-MG 1000. For main line, you could use PE 3 line of low polyethylene. For SUB line, you could choose 120 cm nylon fishing line or soft plastic coated stainless steel wires. For bait, 15-24 g Minnow baits would be the best option, you could take different Minnow with you to meet your need for different water layer (from 80 cm to 1.5 m under water)
Some Northern fishing lover tends to DIY baits with Puffer skin or white plastic sheets. Cut part of it into antennae, then tie up the hook with string and hide it in the sheet or skin. The artificial antennae can flow lively like a real fish, which attracts Spanish mackerel’s attention. When you try to set up a rig, main line should be across all the lead ring, tie up a 8 character fishing ring at the end of your line then you can put a bait on it.
The Technique of Throwing Your Line
After a good place selected, then you need to stare at the sea. If you find somewhere there are fishes flying fast, below which there must be Spanish mackerels or ferocious fishes. Now all you have to is casting fishing line to the place ahead of the fleeing fishes. After the complete fishing rigs dropping to 2 meters in the water, you should immediately push fishing rod directing to the sea surface, and then swiftly swing your fishing reel, tacking back the line. Pause for a while after taking back approximate 4-5 meters of your line, pretending your bait as a wounded fish or pretending to detect the surroundings, which attracts Spanish mackerels to bite it.

If you get no bite, try to give another cast until Spanish mackerel is on hook. You will feel a strong force when it bites, sometimes it will arch your rod, now you need to keep it arched and swiftly swing the rod, pull it out of water.
When you give another try, you’d better watch out the sea. Pneumatophorus japonicus feeds on a kind of blue fish that is 150-mm-long and 25-mm-thick. When Pneumatophorus japonicus are chasing after the little fish, both of them will jump on water. Local people call it “Synchronized swimming” Now you can get them by fast rolling up your line without single miss. But be very careful to throw your line ahead of the swimming fish not behind or beside them. If not so, the fish school will very like be shocked and flee away in all direction. What also needs your attention is, swiftly take back your line will avoid your baits getting stuck on the bottom. After all, nice bait costs you much. Or you can also use tungsten fishing weight and soft baits.

In general, it takes two steps for Spanish mackerel to steal the lure on your hook. First, give a big bite, second, turn around and stay away from it as soon as possible. These series of actions will act on your rod: you are hindered from rolling back your line and are pulled over by an unknown force, your rod shivering by fleeing fish. Now you should pull back your rod immediately, keep your line tense and tight, because Spanish mackerel usually escapes at the moment your line is slack. When the target is near, all you need to do is to catch it by a net.

Please be careful of its sharp teeth. The right way to catch it is : holding the hook part and push it into the mouth of Spanish mackerel then change the direction of it in body, you can easily take out the hook. Good luck with your catch!We are FISH PABY, we are from Zhuzhou, China, we specialize in the production of Tungsten Fishing Weights, wholesale purchasing tungsten weights. We are your best choice.