What months can you catch mackerel UK?

Mackerel are migratory and come to the UK in spring and early summer, when they will feed actively and then migrate to warmer seas in the autumn months to spawn, during which time they will feed little.

What is the best time to fish for mackerel?

The best time to catch mackerel is dusk or dawn and at high tide. Spring high tides are often the best as they push bait fish closer into shore and the mackerel follow them in. Mackerel can be caught anytime, however.

What time of year do mackerel come in?

Mackerel is a migrating fish and it swims in large shoals near the surface. During the winter season, the fish live near the seabed off the southwest coast of Norway, and in this period they eat very little. This changes between April and May, when the mackerel swim to the central parts of the North Sea to spawn.

Can you catch mackerel in February?

Mackerel are seasonal fish and usually arrive in our waters around late spring and leave early autumn… BUT… For the last two years, the mackerel have been arriving late September and staying through to January/February.

What sea fish can you catch in April UK?

April, May: Spring sees the common shore crabs start to peel around many parts of the UK coast and this attracts bass, eels, pouting, flounder, codling, plaice, ray, dogfish, smoothhound and others inshore. After the rigours of spawning, many of these are hungry.

How do you get carp in March?

There are a number of excellent methods that catch carp in the spring, zig rigs, single attractor hookbaits and PVA bags or stick mixes are all excellent methods at this time of year just remember the fish have just started to wake up and it’s so easy to over do things with bait especially after a cold start like the …

Can you catch mackerel at night?

A few species do not generally feed in the dark and they include wrasse, plaice, mullet and mackerel, although there are exceptions. Calm, clear nights are generally more productive than when the sea is rough and coloured because the fish often feed much closer to shore in daylight in such conditions.

Where do mackerel go in winter?

North Sea mackerel overwinter in the deep water to the east and north of Shetland and on the edge of the Norway Deep, whereas mackerel found around the western shores move out to the continental slope, over-wintering across a vast area.

What sea fish can you catch in winter UK?

In Scotland, winter is cod season. However, other specifies such as flatfish, flounder and dab can also be found. Towards the end of winter, there is a quieter season, until warmer water fish return in mid spring.

What’s the best bait for mackerel?

“The most effective way of catching mackerel here is to use a string of lures or feathers. These basic lures are retrieved erratically through the water, mimicking small baitfish such as sand eels, which are the staple diet of mackerel. Plain white through to vivid day-glo orange colors work best here.

When do mackerel come to the UK?

Mackerel are migratory and come to the UK in spring and early summer, when they will feed actively and then migrate to warmer seas in the autumn months to spawn, during which time they will feed little. However, mackerel appear to be arriving in UK waters earlier and leaving later every year, possibly as a result of rising sea temperatures.

How to catch a mackerel?

Some days mackerel turn their noses up at a string of feathered lures, and this could be the time to try a small bar spinner or even cast a fly. At other times fishing a single fish bait under a float really works. It’s the same tactic for catching garfish and is the most sporting and enjoyable way to catch mackerel.

What is the best time of day to fish for mackerel?

If you can fish when the light changes around dawn or dusk, with a tidal change just before or after this time so the water is moving in or out a fair amount, then you’ll be most likely to have a busy session. You can also try night fishing by using a light stick or glow stick on the line to attract the mackerel to the rig.

Where are the best places to fish for mackerel in England?

One of the prime mackerel locations in the country is Chesil Beach, in Dorset. This linear shingle storm beach stretches from Portland to West Bay. It’s a hugely popular fishing spot, but with over 18 miles of beach available, you’ll always find an area from which to fish. Matt Sparkes went there to give you this great advice…