Spanish mackerel live throughout the Indo-West Pacific region, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical waters. In Western Australia, they’re found from Cape Leeuwin northwards to the Northern Territory border.
Where are mackerel caught in Australia?
In Australia, blue mackerel are found mainly in southern, temperate and subtropical waters between southern Queensland and Western Australia. Blue mackerel are also found throughout the Pacific Ocean, Northern Indian Ocean and Red Sea.
Where can Spanish mackerel be found?
Spanish mackerel are distributed in the waters of the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and South Africa to southeast Asia, north to China and Japan, and south to Australia. They are also found in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Can you catch Spanish mackerel in Sydney?
Spotties were even caught in Sydney Harbour and way up the Hawkesbury River. During a ‘normal’ seasonal run spotted and Spanish mackerel seldom head farther south than Point Plomer, just north or Port Macquarie. One of the great things about mackerel is that they’ll respond to a wide variety of methods.
Can you catch Spanish mackerel in Victoria?
They range between Augusta in Western Australia northwards to the east coast of Victoria.
What is mackerel called in Australia?
| Australian spotted mackerel | |
|---|---|
| Family: | Scombridae |
| Genus: | Scomberomorus |
| Species: | S. munroi |
| Binomial name |
Can you catch Spanish mackerel in Perth?
Spaniards are prolific and widespread, with no concerns over their stock status at the moment, so they should be a welcome catch for anyone who wants to take home a feed. It is the time of the year when they usually push into Perth waters and in recent weeks a number have been caught in the metro area.
Can you buy mackerel in Australia?
They are available year round, with supplies of Spanish Mackerel peaking in September and October. Eastern Aust. (QLD, NSW) & Northern Aust.
Can you catch Spanish mackerel all year round?
Spanish and spotted mackerel are caught regularly in South East Queensland and the NSW Far North Coast during the warmer months when water temperatures rise above 23°C. More consistent catches year-round occur above latitude 25° S, north of Fraser Island, QLD and latitude 28°S, above Geraldton, WA.
What depth do you catch Spanish mackerel?
I find that Spanish mackerel prefer depths of around 30 metres, although I have caught them in depths as shallow as 9 metres and as deep as 60. If you can find drop offs, or structure in 20-30 metres to 30-40 metres, it will pay to target these areas if there are no bait schools around.
What is the best month to catch mackerel?
May-June
May-June is the best time to catch mackerel, although they are caught all summer in numbers and larger specimens are sometimes caught in winter.
How much is Spanish mackerel per kilo?
Fresh Whole Spanish Mackerel $17.80kg.
How do you catch Spanish mackerel in Queensland?
The first and probably the most common form of chasing Spanish mackerel is on the troll. Trolling is a favoured method as it allows the angler to cover long distances in search of fish. It is ideal when chasing Spanish mackerel along current lines or open water bathometric lines, especially around channels.
What is the best time to catch Spanish mackerel?
February is a prime time for catching Spanish mackerel since a ban on gill netting in 1995.
Is Spanish mackerel good eating?
Spanish mackerel, an especially good eating finfish, produces an attractive plate-size cutlet or an essentially boneless fillet. Mackerel can be fried, baked, poached, grilled, marinated, smoked and barbecued—it is considered by some to be the best barbecue fish in the South Pacific and Asia.
Is mackerel good to eat Australia?
Mackerel are among Australia’s most popular commercial fishes (particularly in the north of the country). There a number of Mackerel within the family – Blue, Grey, Spanish, School, Spanish and Spotted. All are good to eat and can be cooked in similar ways, but they do differ.
Is Spanish mackerel the same as mackerel?
Is king mackerel different from mackerel? These two species of fish are long, thin, and have a forked tail as well as bronze-colored markings on their bodies. The Spanish mackerel, on the other hand, has a black patch on the first dorsal fin, which the king mackerel does not have.
What’s the difference between king mackerel and Spanish mackerel?
Both are long, slender fish with a forked tail and bronze-colored spots on the body. But the Spanish mackerel features a black spot on the first dorsal fin that the king mackerel lacks. Also, the king mackerel has a pronounced dip in the lateral line below the second dorsal fin.
Where do you troll for Spanish mackerel?
Trolling at seven to 10 knots outside the second sand bar to about a mile offshore will likely result in numerous hook-ups. Halco and Clark spoons work well on the mackerel when deployed at different depths behind the boat. I like to have a couple of spoons near the surface and several down in the six-foot range.
What size lures for Spanish mackerel?
1/0 is a good all-around size. Artificial lures can certainly be used when drifting the grass flats as well. Spoons, plugs, and jigs all work well when fan cast out in front of a drifting boat. Spanish mackerel are attracted to fast-moving flashy lures.
What size mackerel can you keep?
Mackerel are great to eat but remember that the minimum size to retain mackerel is 30cm, and while it can be easy to catch many mackerel in a session only take what will be eaten or used as bait.
Marilyn Medina is a food expert with over 15 years of experience in the culinary industry. She has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens in the world, including The Ritz-Carlton and The French Laundry.
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