This year's target fish: Spanish Mackerel.

[jet]

ive targeting them by boat and kayak for the past 5 years. never hooked up and have only seen 1 fly out of the water, along the naval rock wall coming out of spa creek oddly enough

[yakscientist]

I caught these in Sept. 2015 over near Triton Beach. The Mackerel was jigged up with a Zman paddletail. As I recall a boater saw me catching fish and stopped. The lady jigged up a Mackerel also. It was mentioned in the DNR fishing report for the week of Sept. 19 2015. http://dnrweb.dnr.state.md.us/fisher...asp?d=09232015

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That's a big mac right there! The girl in the fishing report pic seems very leery to hold that fish. It's good to know that mackerel are at least accessible within a 1-2 hour drive from my house in the summer. I assume triton beach is the same thing as beverly triton? Thank you for the post.

[Goody]

I caught these in Sept. 2015 over near Triton Beach. The Mackerel was jigged up with a Zman paddletail. As I recall a boater saw me catching fish and stopped. The lady jigged up a Mackerel also. It was mentioned in the DNR fishing report for the week of Sept. 19 2015. http://dnrweb.dnr.state.md.us/fisher...asp?d=09232015

photo_2015-09-19_20-58-01.jpg

[ronaultmtd]

Good luck to all who expand their fishing to include species they specifically target...can’t think of any I haven’t already caught or that I want to, so I’ll stay in my comfort zone and fish for seasonal species of stripers, redfish white perch and speckled trout...Yak 67 has talked about us taking a “road trip” or two so that may give us an opportunity to fish for species common to the areas we visit...one of my favorite Florida fish is snook...love their fights...strong fish, great on the table too...Spanish Mack’s are pretty good on the grill...not so much in the pan...

[chimo]

You can camp at the airfield I'm pretty sure. Those spots we usually stay are designated camping spots, but a hot shower might be a problem.

Yup, theres designated camping spots that can be reserved and a shower house with limited hours.

[ComeOnFish]

My target fish in Chesapeake Bay:

• Jan - Feb: Tautog
• June - July: Cobia
• July -Aug: Tarpon

Lake Anna:

• Hybrid striper over 22"

Joe

[silasvirus82]

Thanks for the info! Yeah John (silasvirus) and I were talking about a jbay trip even if there isn't a tournament, so we should organize an impromptu snaggedliners trip up there. I doubt we would be allowed to camp on the airfield, but there may be a decent hotel around where our kayaks would be safe in the parking lot overnight.

You can camp at the airfield I'm pretty sure. Those spots we usually stay are designated camping spots, but a hot shower might be a problem.

[yakscientist]

Folks do seem to have some fun with that. Those 2 and others that I have caught trolling in Florida from the kayak were all caught at 3.5mph or less. Its always seemed to me the speed is just to weed out all the strippers and blues but who knows.

CBKA is good, you should fish it. Jbay will be missed but I'll probably try to work in a fishing trip there in mid may regardless. Great time of year to be fishing there.

Thanks for the info! Yeah John (silasvirus) and I were talking about a jbay trip even if there isn't a tournament, so we should organize an impromptu snaggedliners trip up there. I doubt we would be allowed to camp on the airfield, but there may be a decent hotel around where our kayaks would be safe in the parking lot overnight.

[chimo]

Good to know, thank you. Isn't the running joke that you pedal your yak between 8-12 mph though? Thats prime speed for Spanish mackerel I bet. But on a more serious note, maybe I should do the cbka tournament this year. I would like to do jbay also but I don't think that's even happening

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Folks do seem to have some fun with that. Those 2 and others that I have caught trolling in Florida from the kayak were all caught at 3.5mph or less. Its always seemed to me the speed is just to weed out all the strippers and blues but who knows.

CBKA is good, you should fish it. Jbay will be missed but I'll probably try to work in a fishing trip there in mid may regardless. Great time of year to be fishing there.

[yakscientist]

I've picked up 2 Spanish in the Chesapeake Bay, one each in the last 2 CBKA tournaments I fished. The one was in the Chester River and the other in Eastern Bay, both came on small xr-8 xraps trolling along channel breaks. There were several boats trolling the same general area of Eastern Bay trolling for Spanish based on their speed.

Good to know, thank you. Isn't the running joke that you pedal your yak between 8-12 mph though? Thats prime speed for Spanish mackerel I bet. But on a more serious note, maybe I should do the cbka tournament this year. I would like to do jbay also but I don't think that's even happening

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[whenican]

Spanish mackerel have been on my list the past couple of years but it's
always been too windy for me. I do, however, know of peeps who have
them in the bay from their kayak.

[chimo]

I've picked up 2 Spanish in the Chesapeake Bay, one each in the last 2 CBKA tournaments I fished. The one was in the Chester River and the other in Eastern Bay, both came on small xr-8 xraps trolling along channel breaks. There were several boats trolling the same general area of Eastern Bay trolling for Spanish based on their speed.

[J.A. Veil]

Most Spanish mackerel caught in the Maryland portion of the bay come by trolling. As noted above, troll at a speed faster than for stripers (4-6 knots)-- this is unlikely to sustainable for most kayakers. Gold spoons are commonly used to get their attention, but other lures work too.

When they are around (late summer/early fall), they can co-locate with schools of stripers and blues. If you cast out to breakers and work the lure extra fast around the edges, you may hook one. Occasionally you can see fish leaping in the air around the edges of breaking fish -- they may be Spanish.

I catch several Spanish mackerel each year while casting on the flats in Tampa Bay. I remember once I had cast out my lure when the guide said to pull up my anchor and move. I began cranking the jighead back to the kayak rapidly and was rewarded with a Spanish mackerel. The last Spanish I caught there was in mid-October. I was paddling quickly from one spot to another across a 3' deep grassy flat. I trolled a paddletail and soon hooked this feisty Spanish mackerel. They do have lots of sharp teeth.

2003-08-01 04-04-51.jpg 2003-08-01 04-04-58.jpg

[yakscientist]

We caught plenty right out in front of the breakers in FL, while kayak trolling fairly slowly. I experimented with a few lures but they hit the usual small paddletail, gulp minnows, and hair jigs (which we were trying to catch bait on). I do think they may prefer speedier trolling but I doubt it'll matter too much if you find enough of them in an area. I think the toughest part will just be to find them in the bay...but that's why I've got friends/snaggedliners right?

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[mepps3]

I haven't tried for them in my kayak, but I have read a lot about them on the main forum at tidalfish.com I would suggest researching them there.
Seems to me they prefer a faster trolling speed in the 5mph range whereas rockfish were more in the 3-3.5mph range. Never really saw much about casting or jigging for them, though.