do we get mackerel around here?

[Burnham Bob]

if i was sailing in devon or cornwall, i'd troll some feathers off the back and expect to get fresh mackerel. would it work around here? obviously not in the crouch, but if i sailed up to levington or walton would there be any point in having a go? and if so what would forumites recommend as tackle?

 

[sailorman]

if i was sailing in devon or cornwall, i'd troll some feathers off the back and expect to get fresh mackerel. would it work around here? obviously not in the crouch, but if i sailed up to levington or walton would there be any point in having a go? and if so what would forumites recommend as tackle?

caught my one off of Gap Gris Nes on a para vane

 

[Pye_End]

There was apparently mackeral in the Estuary during the summer, but not sure where.

Have caught buckets of them off Dover harbour arm before.

Feathers, as you say. Not more than 6 as it gets rather heavy to haul in when fully loaded!

 

[wingdiver]

In-laws catch loads off Wells. We were given 20 from their efforts one day whist out sailing. That means they are out there somewhere.
I wouldn't know any specifics as I seem to be one of those people who only catches a cold when fishing

 

[theodonnell]

From June to September mackeral move in, start looking off the east barrow first

 

[nigelm]

Had some caught of dunkirk once , filleted and cooked on board my old mans boat in Ostend , very tasty but stunk the boat out for months

 

[theodonnell]

I am a Burnham man, trying to place you

 

[Amulet]

All the methods I know for catching mackerel involve visible lures, feathers etc. Mostly the East coast water is so muddy that the lure would have to pass right by the fish's nose for it to see it. Have caught one or two. On the West of Scotland in my youth they were reliably to be had.

If success with lures indicates that mackerel are visual hunters, then they may avoid waters with poor visibility - any one know?

 

[Reverend Ludd]

I know they are caught from Lowestoft up to the wash

 

[theodonnell]

The run right the Swin and the Barrows from June onwards. Usually a big shoal moves in which breaks up.They are caught on feathers as always,they have better eyesight than you might think.

 

[wingdiver]

All the methods I know for catching mackerel involve visible lures, feathers etc. Mostly the East coast water is so muddy that the lure would have to pass right by the fish's nose for it to see it. Have caught one or two. On the West of Scotland in my youth they were reliably to be had.

If success with lures indicates that mackerel are visual hunters, then they may avoid waters with poor visibility - any one know?

That said but, I wonder if another posters suggestions of months when they can be caught coincides with a period of clearer water off the East Coast. In my diving days we used to find this started off Essex in June/July and moved around Suffolk in
July/August and then on to Norfolk by September. Anyone who has sailed around the sandbanks will be amazed that 5m to 10m viz has been recorded in our waters.