| 29 November 2010
Ladyfish (above), Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel are all easy to catch in one location with a single outfit.Cold Weather brings us the blues and Spanish
One of the best parts of the winter fishing months is the chance to target some hard-fighting and fast-biting species.
Chief among those are bluefish, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel. All three of these fish will put on a show, whether its sky-high jumps by ladyfish, which are sometimes, called poor man’s tarpon, or blistering runs by the bluefish and Spanish mackerel.
Spanish Mackerel and BluefishEven better is the fact that these are so easy to catch, not to mention mix and match because not only are you using the same set-up for all three, but you can basically catch all three in, or near, the same spot. And that means from a boat, or from the beach.
GEAR
As far as equipment, it’s simple and basic.
You’re going to want a decent-sized rod, something in the 7-foot range with medium flexibility; the 3000 to 4000 size reels are adequate. My favorite is the Shimano Symmetry 4000. The most important aspect of this reel is going to be the ability to withstand long, burning runs and not blow up. An easy-to-adjust drag is the key and this rod reel size combo will allow longer casting, the longer the better.
Ten- to 12-pound braided line is as high as you will want to go. Go with braided line because you can put more on your reel, which will help with those long runs. More importantly, braided line will cast further, especially in windy conditions, which are likely this time of year. If you’re fishing from the beach, maybe go to 16- or 20-pound braid so you can fight the surf a little better, you can also upgrade your rod to something in the 8- or 9-foot range.
The most important thing you can do for leader is use fluorocarbon. I like the new Seaguar premier - it’s thinner. Spanish mackerel, in particular, are notoriously picky and will spook in a second, if they see any kind of line. Twenty-pound from a boat or 30-pound from the shore will do the trick. Bring plenty either way, though, because all of these fish have some nice teeth.
LURES
Any kind of lure which emits any kind of shine will be more than enough for these fish. That means shiny MirrOlures, X-Raps, Sebile Magic Swimmers , gotcha plugs and silver spoons. The shinier, the better. You’re also going to want something that swims with a little bit of speed, remembering you can always slow down your presentation if need be. These fish thrive in cold water and will attack at a good rate of speed.
No matter where you’re fishing, the plan is to cast as far as you can and reel back at a medium speed, getting as much action (and, therefore, shine) out of the lure as possible.
Spanish Mackerel can be caught from beach or boat.LOCATION
Some things to think about when looking for a spot to fish: Bluefish and ladyfish can be found on the beach, around any kind of structure, or on the flats, near drop-offs. The habitats are vital for those species, especially the areas of grass flats, where the flat drops off into a deeper trough.
Spanish mackerel are more of an open-water fish and will blanket the beaches as the temperatures drop. They, too, will favor structure, or a hole, or anywhere else that will hold bait fish. They are a schooling fish and, once you catch one, you will most likely catch more. They are a favorite of winter commercial fishermen, who will sometimes bring in more than 1,000 pounds a day. [More Fishing info]
RECIPES
Bluefish Recipes: http://www.fishingsociety.org/BluefishRecipes.html
Spanish Mackerel: http://www.foodreference.com/html/cb-smackerel-71006.html
Ladyfish...try it...let us know...http://amchi-bong-konnexion.blogspot.com/2010/04/kanenogli-rava-fry-lady-fish-coated-in.html
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Capt.Mike Readling, fishes from Stuart, FL and is an expert in all kinds of fishing, having grown up in Jupiter and fished the area for 30 years. He is the Atlantic Coast Chair of the Snook Foundation. [More about Snook Foundation folks]
