Spanish mackerel are a species that relies on its vision to find food, primarily small bait that are doing everything they can to avoid becoming dinner. And a mackerel’s vision, paired with excellent swimming speed, is usually too much for most baitfish.
While most anglers chose to troll hard baits behind the boat or free-line live baits, those aren’t the only ways to rev up a Spanish mackerel’s appetite. If anglers have quick wrists, they can be successful at catching Spanish on spinning gear.
Spanish are accustomed to their prey fleeing at high speed, even darting side to side. Casting spoons like a Sea Striker Jig Fish or a Kastmaster are weighted just enough to allow anglers to cast them exceptional distances. They can be ripped back to the boat at high speeds to mimic a fleeing baitfish, speeds required to get Spanish to respond.
Casting spoons to actively feeding fish can be a great way to catch Spanish mackerel during the summer, but sometimes, when baitfish are in the middle of a feeding frenzy, they will flee in different directions. In these instances, Got-Cha plugs can be very effectiv; their side-to-side darting action imitates baitfish fleeing an ambush.
While there are some other baitfish imitations available, these are generally the best choices for Spanish mackerel. Most other hard baits, especially diving baits, can’t be retrieved fast enough to get a Spanish chasing, with the exception of a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow.
Hard baits come in a variety of colors from pink, green and blue to silver and gold. The best paint jobs should be predominantly base colors of silver or gold because they give off the most flash and will draw the most strikes.
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