Mackerel for bait

Bows Up

Bows Up

Well-Known Member
Running out of herring for halibut bait and I am wondering if anyone has tried mackerel. Pretty oily so it should provide a good scent trail. Might be good in the prawn traps, too.

Hate buying bait.
 
I've used mackerel lots of times for bait, it is pretty good. But like someone else said, just get some pinks. As far as I am concerned they out fish mackerel for halibut.
 
where are you catching macks? and yes they work very good!!!
 
Bored with pinks in general. Had one take an anchovy last week at 170' and I wasn't going slowly. :p Hearing noises about trying Zeballos.

Are you the same trophywife that fished around the Cap some years ago ?
 
are you still catching mackerel on the west coast ? interesting- i just think salmon stays on the hook better tough skin- i got one one a 6" plug a few weeks ago going 3plus knots!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bows Up said:
Bored with pinks in general. Had one take an anchovy last week at 170' and I wasn't going slowly. :p Hearing noises about trying Zeballos.

Are you the same trophywife that fished around the Cap some years ago ?
Click to expand...


no,, just an innernet name,athough i fished the cap lots in my 20'02" bayliner.. my ex was a trophy-wife..... now i got alumaluv
 
Just curious if you were the bayliner named "trophywife" that warned me of the outbound freighter as I had my head down(stupid) playing a spring, clearing gear and fighting that gentle current. Wasn't that close but could have been without the heads up. I was in a 14' Lund.
 
Mackerel makes great Halibut bait.
Easily as good as pink salmon but it doesn't stay on the hook as well.
Use it hole on a large circle hook thru the eye.
Small piece of salmon or octopus to hold it on.
Bows Up said:
Running out of herring for halibut bait and I am wondering if anyone has tried mackerel. Pretty oily so it should provide a good scent trail. Might be good in the prawn traps, too.

Hate buying bait.
Click to expand...
 
I use half a baby octopus on top of any bait as a good luck charm. Started doing it two years ago and since I'm catching fish, I have stuck with it.

As always, thanks for the replies.
 
Bows up you better use mackerel every chance you get when fishing hali... I paye dhte kids at the cleaning dock a dollar a fish this summer up at mootcha bay im an independant guide and had all my cliental limited out everytime on mackerel I love it.a nice side fillet on a tandom hook set up works or rigging it up whole is unbelievable.There are some tricks to hooking it up whole,I use a 3 ft leader with only one hook tied on the end of it with a slider hook.What you do is get a rod I use a coat hanger or welding rod flatten one end and drill a hole in it large enough to thread your leader through like a needle.feed the rod into the baits mouth through the body and out the butt or back of the bait.thread the leader through the hole in the rod then pull the leader back through inside the bait pull the leader so the eye and shank of the hook are inside the bait.Now get another hook and slide it down the leader put the hook through the bottom of the baits mouth and out through the top of the head now pull the leader tight so the bait will bend or have an arc to it.then wrap four to five times around the shank below the eye of the top hook and do a couple of half hitches to hold it tight there,what i use is a piece of rubber tubbing say 1.5 inches long,the tubing has to be big enough to go over the eye of the second hook and hold the wraps on the shank this will hold your bait in an arc you want it to spin or roll just like a herring or anchovy.tie a loop in the end of the leader then attach to your spreader bar,a few small slices to the side of the mackerel and your ready to rock watch as you let it down it will roll like a chovy,get ready it wont be long as long as your in a hali neighbourhood.This by far the best method I have used and it does take a bit to set up but extremely worth it !!!!!! All my very large hali have been on mackerel its the best bait in my opinion good luck i wish I had some pics to present but I never took any this summer have to wait till next year...Remeber nothing over 126cm you will catch monsters this way

Tight lines
Billydoo
 
greenhornet said:
Bows up you better use mackerel every chance you get when fishing hali... I paye dhte kids at the cleaning dock a dollar a fish this summer up at mootcha bay im an independant guide and had all my cliental limited out everytime on mackerel I love it.a nice side fillet on a tandom hook set up works or rigging it up whole is unbelievable.There are some tricks to hooking it up whole,I use a 3 ft leader with only one hook tied on the end of it with a slider hook.What you do is get a rod I use a coat hanger or welding rod flatten one end and drill a hole in it large enough to thread your leader through like a needle.feed the rod into the baits mouth through the body and out the butt or back of the bait.thread the leader through the hole in the rod then pull the leader back through inside the bait pull the leader so the eye and shank of the hook are inside the bait.Now get another hook and slide it down the leader put the hook through the bottom of the baits mouth and out through the top of the head now pull the leader tight so the bait will bend or have an arc to it.then wrap four to five times around the shank below the eye of the top hook and do a couple of half hitches to hold it tight there,what i use is a piece of rubber tubbing say 1.5 inches long,the tubing has to be big enough to go over the eye of the second hook and hold the wraps on the shank this will hold your bait in an arc you want it to spin or roll just like a herring or anchovy.tie a loop in the end of the leader then attach to your spreader bar,a few small slices to the side of the mackerel and your ready to rock watch as you let it down it will roll like a chovy,get ready it wont be long as long as your in a hali neighbourhood.This by far the best method I have used and it does take a bit to set up but extremely worth it !!!!!! All my very large hali have been on mackerel its the best bait in my opinion good luck i wish I had some pics to present but I never took any this summer have to wait till next year...Remeber nothing over 126cm you will catch monsters this way

Tight lines
Billydoo
Click to expand...
Great tips there greenhornet. I'm gonna give that a try next time I've got mackeral on board when I'm out for hali.
 
Ok... I've been hovering for a bit, can't keep quiet any longer. I've been wondering when someone would mention a slow troll for hali's with a mackerel stuffed into an XL Jughead. I know a few guys that do it regularly. They say it works very well (I won't go into it...). Cover lots of ground too.
Now Derby, I know you have XL Jugheads. Please give it a try bud :)
I value your critique.
 
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