Mackerel are back.

[John Gryphon]

Smoked Fillets of Mackerel is one of the best ways to have them (IMHO) served with a nice mixed salad and thick crusty bread and butter on a warm Summer's evening!
Having said that I was on holiday in Scotland many years ago and was spinning for them at Loch Long - I had a couple frying in the pan on an open camp fire within just a few minutes of being caught. You can't get them fresher than that, it really was was a meal fit for a king!

ooh yeah,mouth watering now.

 

[sauer]

i have not tried it but fancy wrapping in them in newspaper then dampened down to prevent paper going up and direct over fire / coals on the beach on a wire rack then sit and eat off the bone

Paul

 

[kenbro]

Can't wait to see them around North Wales so that I can get my light spinning rod out!

Haven’t heard yet Pete, but would think they’d be in at Mackerel Rock now.
Ken.

 

[Feugh]

Filleted immediately, fried in butter on a camp stove on the beach and served in a bun with a bit of mayonnaise to make a Big Mack. Delicious!
Or filleted, thinly sliced and eaten raw with some soy or wasabi.
Or soaked in brine before smoking over fruit wood chips with a whisky and honey sauce.
Or fried with onions and sliced olives.
Or barbecued with a masala paste smeared on.
Or cooked on a stick over a fire on the beach whilst drinking cool beer and watching the sun going down.

I’m looking forward to the mackerel season.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

Filleted immediately, fried in butter on a camp stove on the beach and served in a bun with a bit of mayonnaise to make a Big Mack. Delicious!
Or filleted, thinly sliced and eaten raw with some soy or wasabi.
Or soaked in brine before smoking over fruit wood chips with a whisky and honey sauce.
Or fried with onions and sliced olives.
Or barbecued with a masala paste smeared on.
Or cooked on a stick over a fire on the beach whilst drinking cool beer and watching the sun going down.

I’m looking forward to the mackerel season.

The last option definitely sounds the best!
Can you think of any better way of finishing and evening fishing session?

 

[Rob22]

We went out from Poole Harbour on Saturday, didn’t catch anything but was a glorious day to be on water.

 

[Feugh]

The last option definitely sounds the best!
Can you think of any better way of finishing and evening fishing session?

Quick story: I went out sea kayaking with my wife and another couple one evening and we headed to a beach which is only accessible by kayak. On the way I caught a few mackerel and we lit a fire when we got there to cook them. We ate them and relaxed with a beer whilst watching the sun go down and, just to cap it all, a pod of dolphins started jumping in the bay. We paddled back in the dark and all was good in the world for a few moments.

 

[Overlay]

We went out from Poole Harbour on Saturday, didn’t catch anything but was a glorious day to be on water.

Excellent. You gotta be in it to win it, sounds like you had a nice day out on the chill

 

[FrenchieBoy]

Excellent. You gotta be in it to win it, sounds like you had a nice day out on the chill

Fishing is much like shooting, it's not always about shooting something or catching loads of fish, it's about being out there and enjoying yourself and the good company of others!

 

[pob]

i have not tried it but fancy wrapping in them in newspaper then dampened down to prevent paper going up and direct over fire / coals on the beach on a wire rack then sit and eat off the bone

Paul

Try wrapping them in kelp, direct on the coals. (Chef's kiss )

 

[Rob22]

Excellent. You gotta be in it to win it, sounds like you had a nice day out on the chill

It was a good day - took my 9 year old lad with me, docked at Brownsea Island for lunch and went out off studland

 

[Rob22]

Fishing is much like shooting, it's not always about shooting something or catching loads of fish, it's about being out there and enjoying yourself and the good company of others!

My wife and I have a child free weekend, snuck in some leave (don’t tell my ex wife ) Weathers looks promising for a trip out of Poole Harbour and lunch at Swanage - dog will come too, he loves the boat

 

[Overlay]

It was a good day - took my 9 year old lad with me, docked at Brownsea Island for lunch and went out off studland

Brilliant, did you get a chance to see the deer, last time I was on there there was a bunch of sika grazing in a foot of water the mainland side

 

[Rob22]

Brilliant, did you get a chance to see the deer, last time I was on there there was a bunch of sika grazing in a foot of water the mainland side

No, didn’t see any deer but had the pleasure of watching two seals chilling on sandbank when we came back in at low tide

 

[Overlay]

No, didn’t see any deer but had the pleasure of watch two seals chilling on sandbank when we can back in at low tide

That’s a proper day out

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

So, assuming I wanted to spin for mackerel from the shore, what set up do I need please?

 

[opticron1]

So, assuming I wanted to spin for mackerel from the shore, what set up do I need please?

You can get away with most light spinning tackle Stuart, anything from an 8-10 ft spinning rod, small spinning reel, maybe 10lb breaking strain line (or use heavier braid), a short nylon/fluoro carbon trace and a few spinners/lures - I seem to do ok with the ABU "krill" ones as they cast well, but any decent lures will work. It's always an idea to put a swivel between the main line and the leader. You can also try similar gear with a float and a strip of sandeel or herring as bait - that can be a bit of fun.
As you're Sheffield based, you'd have to plan a trip pretty well. It might be an idea to look at something like the WorldSeaFishing Forums to see what's around - when there are mackerel about they tend to let everyone know. Still a bit early up here for mackerel, but June/July is more often our starting point from the shore.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

You can get away with most light spinning tackle Stuart, anything from an 8-10 ft spinning rod, small spinning reel, maybe 10lb breaking strain line (or use heavier braid), a short nylon/fluoro carbon trace and a few spinners/lures - I seem to do ok with the ABU "krill" ones as they cast well, but any decent lures will work. It's always an idea to put a swivel between the main line and the leader. You can also try similar gear with a float and a strip of sandeel or herring as bait - that can be a bit of fun.
As you're Sheffield based, you'd have to plan a trip pretty well. It might be an idea to look at something like the WorldSeaFishing Forums to see what's around - when there are mackerel about they tend to let everyone know. Still a bit early up here for mackerel, but June/July is more often our starting point from the shore.

Thank you, I am heading down to Cornwall later this week, might take some gear.

 

[Len the dog]

Can't wait to see them around North Wales so that I can get my light spinning rod out!

In my late teens (a long time ago) I did quite a bit of fishing off Anglesey, I remember one summer’s day when I swapped the beachcaster for a lovely light action graphite spinning rod, 2lb line and a spinner. Pound for pound you would struggle to get better sport than from a mackerel, absolutely fantastic having to play them out instead of just dragging them out of the water.
My mate and I had set up a little portable smoking box beforehand and the fish went straight from hook to plate in under 20 minutes, never tasted anything like it.

 

[pete evans]

Scott Rae mackerel with salsa verde recipe pretty decent. Video on YouTube