Get down, get down and boogie with Spanish

While they sometimes feed on the surface, most Spanish mackerel are caught on lures or live baits trolled below it.

Planers and trolling sinkers are the primary ways to position lures below the surface. Trolling sinkers are torpedo- or cigar-shaped weights placed in-line, ahead of the lures. They range from a quarter-ounce up to 48 ounces, but half-ounce to 6-ounce weights are most-often used when targeting Spanish mackerel.

Planers are designed to pull lures below the surface. They use a weighted keel to “set” at a downward angle, and the force of the water passing over them pushes them down. They vary from a small No. 1 to a large No. 32. The large the planer, the deeper it runs.

Nos. 1 and 2 planers are small enough to be pulled from stout rods or hand lines and are the most-common sizes for Spanish mackerel fishing.

Lures are fished a minimum of 20 feet behind a planer. When the planer is set, it dives and brings the lure with it. When a fish strikes, the planer is “tripped” and it changes angle an comes back to the surface, eliminating the pressure and allowing for easy reeling of the fish.

Sea Striker manufacturer a full line of planers and plenty of spoons designed to catch Spanish mackerel. For more information, visit www.seastriker.com.