Growing up in Virginia Beach, I spent countless summer days trolling small spoons a few miles offshore in pursuit of the fast and furious Spanish mackerel. However, this summer, I realized: After three decades of targeting these silver predators, my techniques for catching Spanish had stagnated. To gather new insights, I reached out to four regional experts—from the mid-Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico—to share their strategies.
Spanish Mackerel Troll Patrol
Luckily, Virginia Beach boasts a devoted fleet of charter captains who fish daily just offshore from this tourist city’s oceanfront high-rises. I contacted my old friend Capt. Nolan Agner, who connected me with Capt. Luke Jennings and mate Fisher Terry aboard the 40-foot deadrise workboat Smack Down.
We departed the dock at a relaxed 7 a.m. As the large boat cruised out Rudee Inlet, Jennings navigated north and increased the speed to 6 knots. Terry gathered six 20-pound-class boat rods equipped with 50-pound braided line. Attached to the mainline was a 250-pound snap swivel.
To adjust the depth of the lures, Terry attached 3- and 4-ounce trolling sinkers to two rods and No. 1 planers to another two. Terry secured another 250-pound snap swivel to the opposite end of the sinker or planer, along with 10 feet of 40-pound leader, a 150-pound-test swivel, and another 10 feet of 40-pound leader. The long leader ended with a size 00 to size 1 Clark Spoon Squid. “Green is my go-to color,” Terry remarked, showcasing a glitter green metal lure the size of a small fish.
For the fifth rod, Terry deployed a small bird teaser with a 20-foot leader that ended in another small green spoon. He rigged the bird on a 16-inch length of 100-pound mono with two large beads on either side, topped with a 250-pound snap swivel at each end of the short leader.
Using the bird allows Terry to add another rod to the spread without entangling the deeper lures. While the bird may not result in many bites, its splashing and slapping on the surface attract fish to the other lures in the array.
Green trolling spoons serve as the primary lure for Virginia anglers.
Ric Burnley
Capt. Jennings motored along the beach as I observed early-morning joggers and dog walkers on the boardwalk. We often catch Spanish just a quarter-mile from the surf line, particularly during the early morning and late evening. We circled around the inlet’s mouth, where several other boats had begun their day. Temperature breaks and current lines are known to hold Spanish, just as live bottom areas and bait schools do.
Within mere minutes, one of the planer rods abruptly bounced under the weight of a mackerel. Terry directed the angler to reel faster or slower based on how the fish surfaced or dove. Jennings slowed the boat while the rest of the crew held their breath, praying the day’s first fish wouldn’t break free.
As soon as the planer neared the rod tip, Terry hand-lined the fish the last few feet, swinging it over the transom and into the box. Jennings then resumed trolling speed. Soon enough, crew members were cheering and shouting encouragement as anglers reeled in one Spanish after another.
Spanish on Lures and Flies
Although trolling spoons can provide fast and enjoyable action, the most thrilling method for catching Spanish involves casting lures. When the fish become active and feed on bait schools, I grab a light-action spinning rod paired with a small spoon or jerkbait.
However, catching Spanish using light gear can be difficult: these speedy fish possess sharp eyesight and picky preferences. I frequently encounter feeding Spanish that refuse to hit my lures.
Capt. Jim Klopfer, who charters near Sarasota, Florida, sees Spanish mackerel as an underappreciated gem of nearshore fishing. He targets them using light spinning or fly-fishing tackle. “They’re aggressive, fight hard, and are among the fastest fish in the sea,” he remarks. These green, silver, and gold streakers also taste exceptional when prepared fresh.
To find mackerel, Klopfer ventures a mile or two into the Gulf of Mexico, scanning for diving birds or slicks that indicate mackerel feasting on small minnows. When he locates the fish, he uses 7-foot, fast-action spinning rods paired with 3000-size reels spooled with 10-pound-test monofilament. “I prefer monofilament since it stretches when a lightning-fast Spanish strikes,” he explains.
Again, the right leader material is crucial. Sharp-eyed Spanish can detect heavy leader or terminal tackle, yet their teeth quickly slice through lighter line. “I prefer 30-pound fluorocarbon and only occasionally lose a lure,” he shares.
Lure selection hinges on availability. “I favor a 3 ½-inch Bass Assassin soft plastic on a 1/4-ounce jighead,” he adds. The soft plastic bait can be easily swapped out after a Spanish strikes. For fly fishing, Klopfer uses a 7-weight rod, intermediate or floating line, and a white D.T. Special fly.
Chum Up the Mackerel
On Florida’s east coast, social-media sensation Darcie, known as Darcizzle, fishes for a variety of species. When targeting Spanish, Darcie begins her day with a trip to the tackle shop.
“First, I grab the Spanish mackerel starter pack,” she chuckles. This consists of two blocks of glass-minnow chum and a dozen Gulfstream Lures Flash Minnows.
With mackerel’s razor-sharp teeth, they often bite off a good number of lures, “so I constantly battle to use a strong enough leader,” she says. Darcie typically starts with No. 4 single-strand wire. If the fish prove tricky, she bites the bullet and turns to fluorocarbon.
Darcie seeks Spanish at inlet mouths, along the shore, and around reefs in winter. “You can find the fish because numerous boats will be in the area,” she explains. To specifically target Spanish, she employs a medium-action spinning rod with a 3000-size reel.
Once in the Spanish territory, she starts chumming with the glass minnows. “I cast out a handful of glass minnows before every cast,” she says. Soon enough, the fish discover the chum, and the excitement begins. “The only mistake you can make is not using enough chum,” she adds.
You truly can’t retrieve a lure too quickly for a mackerel. When bled, filleted, and cooked fresh, Spanish actually taste outstanding.
Ric Burnley
More Mackerel Bites
Spanish mackerel inhabit the Gulf Coast and the mid-Atlantic. Near the North Carolina coast, not far from the South Carolina state line, Capt. Jot Owens remarks that these fish are crucial to his business, as clients relish the challenge of catching speedy mackerel with light tackle.
After a lifetime spent fishing for mackerel, Owens has witnessed anglers making significant blunders when using light tackle. “You can’t work the lure too quickly,” he insists. To enhance catch rates, Owens advocates winding hard on the reel while keeping the rod tip low to the water.
“I seek a reactive bite, so the quickest lure draws in the bite.” Recently, he started utilizing a high-speed spinning reel with a 7-to-1 gear ratio for even faster lure retrieval.
Owens aims to remain as distant as possible from feeding fish. This necessitates longer casts, allowing the lure to remain in the water longer. “The biggest blunder I observe is anglers driving their boats through schools,” he notes. Once the fish are spooked, the school may not reform.
With their fast nature and finicky behavior, Spanish mackerel provide exhilarating action, line-sizzling runs, and enough of a challenge for any angler to respect el pescado (the fish) whether they are trolling, chumming, or sight-casting.