How to catch something other than mackeral?

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ColinR

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www.victoriashadow.co.uk
For years I've towed a paravane with simple mackeral spinner attached when i fancy mackeral for dinner. Works a treat and nothing nicer than totally fresh mackeral. But I wouldn't mind a change of diet. Tried using a sandeel lure but nothing doing. And an off the peg thing with a series of feathered hooks and an imitation mackeral lure but no joy. Any suggestions ? I just want a simple set up that I can tow, I don't want to have to loiter above wrecks or sandbanks, or maybe I'm asking too much and have to settle for mackeral. Any thoughts? Thanks
 
A bit further on than you, but not a lot. As I understand it you mostly are asking too much. You can catch poolock by towing a lure over broken ground with the lure at the bottom, but mackerel are both fast and greedy which is why you can cath them with a lure doing 4 knots.

The reality of fishing is that its more skilled than just lobbing something over board and to have real success you need to know a bit about fishy habits and be willing to do things like loitering above wrecks and rocks and sandbanks. I catch bass ( a few a year) but I do that using as bait what they are eating at the time and I do it anchored.
 
I tried for years, bought all sorts of bits that various fishing chaps suggested, and have come to conclusion that i will only succeed if I move to the tropics.
 
In my sea kayaking days we would often catch colefish, pollock, cod and haddock. The trick was always to drop the feathers really quickly to try and get through the mackerel layer and fish deeper down. Often though the mackerel would take the feathers on the way down. When towing a lure you are unlikely to be fishing deep enough for anything other than mackerel.
 
Sea kayaking early 1980s style off Sanday in the Outer Hebrides.
Supper on the line ready for the beach bonfire.

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How about laying a line with baited hooks along a sandy bottom when you are at anchor, in the hope of catching some flat fish?

Also of course you can lay a lobster pot overnight, or simply gather mussels. All enjoyable diversions, but if all you can bear doing is fishing when travelling at 4 knots, just be grateful that there are still mackeral in the sea.
 
mcalan said:
I have tried towing a paravane without any success is there a particular time of year for mackerel ?
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The answer to that will depend where you are. I am well North of you up the Firth of Forth, and they usually arrive in June and disappear again around September.
 
roblpm said:
Can u divulge the best places in the forth for mackerel or is it a secret?!
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Can't say I have ever really done anything more than sailed for a mile or so from the harbour caught enough, and then sailed back. I am sure there are plenty of other places round the Firth where you can do that!
 
If your happy to just drift for a while, bait up with lobe and king rag, at least 6ozs lead weight, don't cast out to far, I have caught some lovely Bass, release if less than 350mm in length. You will catch other types as well,but no mackeral. Size 2 hook ? Many try all sizes of hooks.
 
Binman said:
don't cast out to far
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Never understood why anyone needs to 'cast' at all from a boat floating away from the shore. Can be pretty hairy when someone starts flinging a hook around in the confines of a boat! Plenty of fish will bite directly under the boat.
 
Come to BC. The chinook are running - 30-40lbs are not uncommon. Most people have barbecues permanently attached to their pushpits here.

On another note, you could look into a trolling rig setup, with HEAVY weights on the downriggers. That's how many people catch stuff here that's deep.
 
Using a paravane you normally only catch mackeral. I have caught a sea bass and bream on towed feathers but that was just luck as I haven't done it since. I normally catch other fish whilst at anchor having just dropped the line over the side rather than casting. It is a skill and no amounts of fancy gear attracts fish any quicker imho.
 
Mackerel live near the surface of the water. If you want to catch something else you’ll need to work a lure deeper, near to the sea-bed. That will be challenging at trolling and sailing speeds unless you are in very shallow water or use heavy weights and even if you get the lure or bait near the bottom it wil be going too fast to get much interest.
 
We caught a huge Pollack coming out of the Helford, we had a rod rigged with a heavy round weight and a set of lures and a spinner on the end. We were in about 8m and traveling at about 2knts. The weight was dropped to the bottom and then the bail arm was closed so the weight was lifted just off the bottom as the boat moved along. Soon my son declared that he had snagged the bottom, I pointed out that as the boat was moving I suggest he reels it in whilst I dig out the net! We had fantastic steaks for three days.
 
We caught nothing but tuna in the Med last summer. Troll at 6-7knots (cruising speed under sail), line out no more than 20 meters, long steel leader with flasher with mackerel like lure. Lost 4 full kits when we hooked into some big ONES.. Expensive lesson.. Now heavier and lots more line. GL
 
ColinR said:
For years I've towed a paravane with simple mackeral spinner attached when i fancy mackeral for dinner. Works a treat and nothing nicer than totally fresh mackeral. But I wouldn't mind a change of diet. Tried using a sandeel lure but nothing doing. And an off the peg thing with a series of feathered hooks and an imitation mackeral lure but no joy. Any suggestions ? I just want a simple set up that I can tow, I don't want to have to loiter above wrecks or sandbanks, or maybe I'm asking too much and have to settle for mackeral. Any thoughts? Thanks
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I have only ever caught Mackeral, Pollack, Bass and Garfish in UK waters - all from towing feathers, lures, use of paravane etc.

Certainly no expert, but go for the areas where the birds are diving! If you can dedicate a bit of time to fishing around wrecks then you will more than likely catch some other types.

Fishing from a yacht in New Zealand was amazing - Snapper for breakfast, lunch and tea!

I've also managed to do entire trans Atlantic trips without catching a single thing... So I am sure it is all just luck ;-)

Pete
 
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