Mackrel Reports

Uglygreen · 06-11-2003, 10:07 PM

I would be very interested in reports of Mackrel caught while salmon fishing as the season progresses. Location specific if you please. Thanks.

UG

wak'm&stak'm · 06-12-2003, 05:04 AM

I can tell you they weren't at the Rock Pile yesterday afternoon. and neither were the salmon, bait, lings...... the 58.5 degree water had only one lone blue shark as far as I could see.

I think it is the year of the tuners because it sure isn't a salmon year for me..I will keep you posted on the Macks.

Miss B Haven · 06-12-2003, 06:08 AM

And UG continues his search for live Marlin bait! :grin:

Popeye · 06-12-2003, 06:11 AM

UG...Ifn ya can't get fresh, ya can get frozen here....

http://www.sportsbait.com/index.html

[ 06-12-2003, 07:12 AM: Message edited by: Popeye ]

Uglygreen · 06-12-2003, 07:55 AM

Sorry guys... I need those little suckers LIVE! Thanks again!

UG

Threemuch · 06-12-2003, 08:58 AM

No incidental mackerel for us, just Hake and Flounder.

crabbait · 06-13-2003, 12:04 AM

I Hake when that happens......... :grin:

fish assassin · 06-13-2003, 06:29 AM

Crabbaaaiiit!! Now *that* was pretty punny!!

-assAssin-

Uglygreen · 06-18-2003, 04:15 PM

- bump - dont forget to write down any mackrel info this weekend... water temp, position, depth etc... would be great.

Thanks,

UG

ANDYCOHO · 06-18-2003, 06:13 PM

Maybe I missed a previous post, but why do you need live Mackrel UG?

Booja 1 · 06-18-2003, 07:30 PM

Andycoho..UG needs a big mack attack to look for Mr Marlin...........

ANDYCOHO · 06-18-2003, 07:36 PM

aaahhh, I see, I see! I will report any Holy Mackrel sightings!

Uglygreen · 06-18-2003, 08:25 PM

I believe that the best chance for a billfish hookup will be a blind strike on a live Mackrel trolled on a Z wing diver about 50' down.

Most probably, any chance we get for a billfish will be a striped marlin. The above setup is the goto rig for a lot of California striped marlin fishing (and blue/black marlin further south). Also is a good rig for a blind strike on big yellowfin tuna in Mexico (Im thinking Oregon bluefin here may like the same setup).

Remember that billfish hunt by swimming into a school of fish and slashing with the bill. The bill sometimes connects with a baitfish and stuns it, allowing the marlin to come back around and eat the stunned fish. Pretty basic.

When a billfish (marlin) sees a loner baitfish swimming out away from the safety of the school of his buddys it says "free lunch".

Pacific mackrel are a major food fish for striped marlin and big tuna. Live baits are much, much, much more effective than dead baits. For striped marlin and big tuna a subsurface troll is a higher percentage bet than a surface troll. We may not get many chances for billfish hookups, so play the high percentage odds right?

I have caught many mackrel while salmon fishing, never paid that much attention to exactly where, temp, depth, etc. The trick is going to be learning how and where to go quickly nail a couple of live mackrel and put them on the troll while tuna fishing. Obviously you dont want to spend a buncha time making bait when you should be fishing.

Thus any reports of mackrel location, water temp, and depth of mackrel will speed the learning curve.

UG

[ 06-18-2003, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

fishwhenican · 06-18-2003, 08:38 PM

Ugly Green, I am going to try that same thing this coming week in Baja. I was also going to try a Braid Marauder (sp?) or Bonita. Thought I would also try a cedar plug, cd-18 Rapala and a Sevenstrand pro-6 and Kona clone. 50-70 feet deep? I'll let you know if I do any good on anything else other than live bait. That doesn't answer where the mackeral are here, but maybe a lure at that depth will produce almost as well as live bait.

Yahooo! (or Wahoo) I'm leaving tommorrow

Uglygreen · 06-18-2003, 08:54 PM

Small bonita (black tuna to some

) can be OK, but mackrel are better even down there in my opinion. Everything likes mackrel. Try one trolled 10-40 feet down around structure (rocks) for big roosters...

UG

David Johnson · 06-19-2003, 09:01 AM

Hey UG, I'd like to get a blown up picture of that.

Pitch Pocket · 06-20-2003, 06:35 AM

I'll take any dead mackerel you find. I think it's about the best crab bait there is. It's oily and real stinky.

Uglygreen · 06-25-2003, 09:52 AM

bump- :smile:

UG

Uglygreen · 07-09-2003, 06:50 AM

bump again -

UG

corrirod · 07-09-2003, 06:58 AM

Uwajima Asian market in Beaverton had some large Mackrel for sale pretty cheap during the last Hali season. I think they were 2 for under $3. Just FYI if you can't find the fresh ones.

Streetwalker · 07-09-2003, 08:10 PM

Got one Sat. straight off Twin Rocks 270' @ 26 pulls. Water temp was 57 Deg.

Miss B Haven · 07-09-2003, 08:17 PM

Go get em UG! Keep a couple big un's in the live well to toss if you get a striker and no hookup. Could be real interesting!