Spinning for Mackerel
Complete guide — gear, lures, season and tips.
Gear
- Rod
- Light sea rod 2.4–3.0 m, 15–40 g
- Reel
- Spinning reel 3000–4000
- Mainline
- Braid 0.15 mm or mono 0.25 mm
- Leader
- Straight to mainline or fluorocarbon 0.30 mm
- Hook
- #6 to #2
Abu Garcia Vendetta
Daiwa Ninja Pier
Shimano Catana
Lures / bait
- Mackerel feathers/paternoster rig (5–6 hooks with feathers)
- Small flashy spoons 15–30 g (Abu Toby, Falkfish Spöket)
- Pilkers 30–80 g (Hali, Storm)
Season
June–September
Time of day
All day, often best mid-morning/evening
Pro tip
Mackerel are about as easy as sea fishing gets — cast a feather rig or drop a pilker from a pier or boat. A shoal under diving birds is a goldmine. Classic spots: Smögen, the Bohuslän coast, the Halland coast, Öresund.