As such they are caught by boat anglers only. The best areas are: in the South Taranaki Bight, east of North Cape, in the Bay of Plenty, and offshore north of Kaikoura. They are often found in mixed schools together with kahawai and jack mackerel. Blue mackerel are also found off Otago and Banks Peninsula.
How do you catch mackerel in NZ?
In daylight hours mackerel can often be seen on a fish finder as a mid-water image. Dropping a baited sabiki down into the school is the easiest method for catching them. A slow lift and drop of the rod tip to give the sabiki some movement usually helps.
What is the best bait for catching mackerel?
The best bait for catching mackerel is either a sandeel or strip of mackerel, but lures are also highly effective. I recommend the spinners listed on this page alongside Japanese Sabiki feathers for more hook ups. Fishing with baited mackerel feathers allows you to catch mackerel as well as other species.
Where can I find blue mackerel?
Area caught
Blue mackerel, are usually found in inshore waters and larger adults form schools in depths of 40-200 metres across the continental shelf. In Australia, blue mackerel are found mainly in southern, temperate and subtropical waters between southern Queensland and Western Australia.
What depth do you fish mackerel?
Mackerel generally remain at the same depth which is between 8ft to 20ft. They also generally stay quite close to cliffs and walls. If you’re fishing from a pier then you will probably only need to be casting out between 5 to 30 yards.
What is the best time of day to catch mackerel?
Regarding the time of day, as with many species, mackerel feed best at dawn or dusk. Their prey – small fish, sandeels, launce, shrimps, squid and so on – are also most active around these times.
Are mackerel good to eat NZ?
There is no doubt Jack mackerel (Jack macks’) make excellent bait, be it live, dead, butterflied or cubed but much less recognized at least here in New Zealand they are also a very worthy table fish.
How do you target mackerel?
Mackerel like a fast-moving bait, and that extra speed translates into additional bites. 4. Use weight or a planer to get a lure down beneath the surface. Sometimes, they hit best 10′ or so down deep.
How big does the blue mackerel get?
A mature blue mackerel is considered to be over 31 cm (12 in) long. Mackerel can live up to 7 years and grow up to 50 cm (20 in) in length, but are most commonly found to be between 1 and 3 years of age.
What size hooks for mackerel fishing?
What size hooks should I use for mackerel? The most often used hook for mackerel is a size 1O, however many anglers consider this to be an excessively big size. Sabiki feathers, a Japanese alternative to typically large mackerel feathers, are considerably superior to the traditional sized mackerel feathers.
What tide is best for mackerel fishing?
An early spring high tide is the greatest time to go mackerel fishing. These are the tides that occur when the difference between high and low water is at its highest, and the flow of water is at its greatest intensity. When the tides are high, bait fish are pushed closer to shore, and mackerel follow them in.
Is Blue Mackerel good for you?
Mackerels are considered some of the most nutritious fishes. They’re an excellent source of protein, vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12, and vitamin D. Their flesh is also full of minerals like copper, selenium, and iodine. Some of these fishes also contain good amounts of iron and vitamin B1.
Is Blue Mackerel high in mercury?
Which fish are low in mercury? Blue Mackerel, Herring, John Dory, Ocean trout, Salmon, Sardines, Silver Trevally, Silver Warehou – (all also high in omega 3 fatty acids).
Is Blue Mackerel good bait?
Blue mackerel (or Slimey Mackerel) are caught commercially by small purse seines for use as both live and dead bait in domestic tuna fisheries.
Where is the best place to fish mackerel?
Mackerel prefer to congregate near buildings because it makes it simpler for them to ambush their prey. Breakwaters, piers, and rock marks are all suitable places to look for mackerel to catch them. When the mackerel are searching near the surface of the water, they are rather easy to locate and catch.
Do you need weights for mackerel fishing?
Mackerel fishing with feathers
All you need is a sturdy rod, weights and some feather rigs. A set of feathers imitates a shoal of bait fish. A “pull and wind” retrieve gives the best action.
What type of rod do I need for mackerel fishing?
There is no need for finesse or complicated rigs when fishing for mackerel. Nor is there any need for any specific rods and reels. For the best sport, choose a light spinning rod or lure rod and match it up with a small fixed spool reel. Use 15 lb monofilament line or better still 15 lb braid.
What is the healthiest fish to eat NZ?
Here are some examples:
- Salmon: It’s delicious.
- Tuna: Both fresh and canned tuna is a good source of omega-3.
- Sardines and anchovies: Bring back sardine sandwiches!
- Shellfish and crustaceans: Mussels, scallops, paua, lobster and crab are also sources of omega-3.
What is the best eating fish in New Zealand?
Snapper, or Tāmure as it is called in Māori, is the most popular fish to eat in New Zealand. Snapper flesh is white with a sweet, mild flavour. Gurnard is also popular, with bright red scales and legs to walk on the seabed. The gurnard is tasty fish with firm white meat that holds its shape when cooked.
What fish is high in mercury NZ?
New Zealand recommended consumption
Pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children should not eat shark (flake), broadbill, marlin and swordfish more than once a fortnight, and should not eat any other fish during that fortnight.
What Colours are mackerel attracted to?
Lures in the 20 cm range are popular with the red/white Qantas colour scheme and blues and greens being present in most avid mackerel angler’s tackle boxes. Check the quality of rings and hooks before using them and consider using a second split ring with hooks.
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