# Best way to catch spanish mackerel



## RBrooks (Aug 17, 2009)

Does any body know the best way to catch spanish? Ive only caught a few and i was just wondering what the best bait/rigs are and some of the better places to catch them.


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## parkmanager (Aug 17, 2009)

spoons!


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## Capt. Scott Griffin (Aug 17, 2009)

Are you trolling...or beach or pier fishing...where do you want to fish for them?


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## Skinin&Grinin (Aug 17, 2009)

All of the lures above are proven spanish catchers,we target spanish for king fish bait.When the bite is hot down here filling coolers is not that uncomon.


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## crackerdave (Aug 17, 2009)

Any lure that looks like a small baitfish - reeled as fast as you can go!


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## CAL (Aug 17, 2009)

We always trolled with spoons.When one was caught,I kept a 5000 set up with a spoon and cast to the fish caught.Then I would have one too as the school would be following the caught fish.Try it!


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## florida boy (Aug 17, 2009)

Try to catch something else !!!!!  They always seem to have there way with your bait no matter what your targeting .


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## Capt. Richie Lott (Aug 17, 2009)

Skinin&Grinin said:


> All of the lures above are proven spanish catchers,we target spanish for king fish bait.When the bite is hot down here filling coolers is not that uncomon.



What he said....


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## Doyle (Aug 18, 2009)

If you don't mind retying fairly often, you'll get far more bites if you loose the steel leader.  I use 30lb mono and a long shanked hook with either a soda straw jig or a live white-bait.


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## Rem 742 (Aug 18, 2009)

*Float*

I'm no expert but I caught a beauty of a Spanish off King and Prince recently... on dead tide using a lively pogie under a float. What a meal!


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## crackerdave (Aug 18, 2009)

CAL said:


> We always trolled with spoons.When one was caught,I kept a 5000 set up with a spoon and cast to the fish caught.Then I would have one too as the school would be following the caught fish.Try it!



Good tip - also works with school dolphin.


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## Capt. Richie Lott (Aug 18, 2009)

Rem 742 said:


> I'm no expert but I caught a beauty of a Spanish off King and Prince recently... on dead tide using a lively pogie under a float. What a meal!



Yes Indeed!! They are out there all over that close in bar in front of K&P all the way out that 90 degree bar off the KP bar. I agree with ya! Good eatin....


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## RBrooks (Aug 18, 2009)

Just one quick question for you guys, what does a straw rig look like?


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## PaulD (Aug 18, 2009)

The best way to catch a spanish is by accident! 

Seriously, if you want to do it, anything that is small, silver, shiny and that you can throw a long way and reel fast. Cheap way would be a spoon, expensive is a small rainbow colored yo-zuri crystal minnow. They love the yo-zuri!


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## goob (Aug 18, 2009)

straw rig on a pier.......... up and down up and down up and down up and down up and down pause drink coke up and down up and down up and down up and down reel one in, repeat.


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## robertyb (Aug 18, 2009)

goob said:


> straw rig on a pier.......... up and down up and down up and down up and down up and down pause drink coke up and down up and down up and down up and down reel one in, repeat.




I disagree. Straw rig on a pier. Throw as far as possible and rip it in fast.

Works for me and I catch a LOT of Spanish that way. Mostly larger fish. 

When I was young I could pop in a straw rig all day. Now I just reel fast and it works as well or sometimes better.


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## Doyle (Aug 18, 2009)

For a straw rig, you'll need a bubble float (the clear kind you fill half full of water to add weight), some 30lb test (or so) mono leader material, a small swivel, a long-shanked hook (bright silver preferred) and a soda straw.  
1.  Tie hook onto an 18 to 24" piece of leader material.
2.  Cut soda straw just longer than the shank of the hook and slide it over the hook.
3.  Tie swivel to leader and then to your line.
4.  Add float above the swivel and fill with water.

When you retrieve, the float will chug through the water and make a splash.  The staw will make tiny bubbles that add a visual attractant.


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## goob (Aug 18, 2009)

robertyb said:


> I disagree. Straw rig on a pier. Throw as far as possible and rip it in fast.
> 
> Works for me and I catch a LOT of Spanish that way. Mostly larger fish.
> 
> When I was young I could pop in a straw rig all day. Now I just reel fast and it works as well or sometimes better.






Well I disagree with you. I have caught many the way I posted, it works for me. I learned from watching a Chinese guy on a pier a few years ago loading a cooler.
I aint saying yours is the wrong way because its not, and neither is my way.


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## Marks500 (Aug 19, 2009)

Gotcha Plug all the way! See my avatar? That is a Huge Spanish on!


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## Bodab1974 (Aug 19, 2009)

When I lived in Florida I always used Gotcha lures.  When the spanish are hitting, they will devour Gotchas.


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## capt stan (Aug 19, 2009)

A good and fun way to catch spanish a lot of folks don't bother with is chumming. Get to an area known to hold them and anchor up. Put out your chum bag and float  livefinger mullet, live shrimp,  mud minnows,or small 'white bait" back into the chum slick under floats. You'll load up on um. While fishing the livies behind the boat you can cast lures as well ..best of both worlds and you will normally stay VERY BUSY once you get established...


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## shortround1 (Aug 19, 2009)

parkmanager said:


> spoons!


spoons are a great choice but i have caught more on the chain rigged , six worms in different colors trolled 3 mph.


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## Bubbaforsure (Aug 20, 2009)

Catching Spanish Mackeral is very simple do as many have already suggested... But they all missed one very deadly combination... A simple 1 to 1-1/4 oz plain white bucktail jig
with a 24-30" peice of florocarbon tied on with a surgeon knot so no swivels is used....Off the beach, rocks, peir or on a boat. Throw it as far as you can and reel it back in as fast as you and hang on...My boy's and I limited out on  spanish mackeral (45) in a little over a hour earlier this year...Moving water and look for the birds feeding/diving  on bait fish. The rest is easy?


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## Chris S. (Aug 25, 2009)

If on a pier try a 6 to 8 ft. leader 3 oz. carolina rig with a clark spoon at the end....underhand cast it and work it back with a steady jerk retrieve ...you will see the fish when they eat it.they also like  chrome 1/2 oz rattlebaits yo yo'd.


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