Mackerel in March

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#1 Post by **blaker** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:29 am

Significant catches of rod caught mackere in Courtmac over the weekend. Let the debate about global warming be ended :lol:

#2 Post by **lumpy** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:12 pm

were they from the shore or boat.earliest ive seen them from the boat was mid april 3 years ago

#3 Post by **blaker** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:46 pm

Apparently both. They were by the bucketload with Mark (its mentioned in the Times yesterday) with a few falling to a lad out luring from the Point.
Unbelieveably early, particularly for shore

#4 Post by **lumpy** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:47 pm

havnt heard them from the shore this early.was out in baltimore a few weeks ago and a trawler was unloading hundreds of boxes of them

#5 Post by **kieran** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:09 pm

Nope

Have had them in February up here, only a few at a time but freshly run fish, not big lunkers that have stayed overwinter.

Simple fact is water temp is now up and above 10 C whereas mackerel need only 7 C so you can expect to see them available all year round, if you know where to go...

I have a thought of heading out to Achill to try for a first entry in the species list competition! :wink: Certainly see them taken around Easter before especially with a week of decent weather such as we're having...

FWIW

Livid · #6 Post by **Livid** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:25 pm

Can anyone please provide a good link showing current or recent sea temperatures around the UK. Thanks.

jw · #7 Post by jw » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:28 pm

Irish Marine Weather Buoy Network details for last 24 hours are at
http://www.marine.ie/home/publicationsd ... ations.htm

#8 Post by **Dave Jolly** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:53 pm

We are somewhat lucky down here, the only month of the year i have never caught mackerel was march, I have caught them every other month, and in the past there has been a small run of them in april, then they vanish in any numbers until july.
last year we caught 3 doz on new years day from a boat less than a mile from the shore in kinsale.

#9 Post by **corbyeire** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:31 pm

blaker wrote:Apparently both. They were by the bucketload with Mark (its mentioned in the Times yesterday) with a few falling to a lad out luring from the Point.
Unbelieveably early, particularly for shore

was this baited or on lures from the shore - putting it in the times will have the bashers out earlier and earlier :?

#10 Post by **Scamper** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:54 pm

When are the first mackerel going to reach the east coast do you think?

Could do with some bait.

#11 Post by **Seaniebo** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:29 pm

Usually start getting them in May

arthurg · #12 Post by **arthurg** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:22 pm

We tried for them off Kincasslagh, Co Donegal last weekend to no avail.

#13 Post by **pete** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:22 pm

Mackerel moved south far earlier this year, pelagic boats were having to move down with them and skippers were saying that they hadn't seen behave like this before. Some were caught at St. John's Point early this week too.

paulocallaghan · #14 Post by **paulocallaghan** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:36 pm

pete wrote:Mackerel moved south far earlier this year.

when you say that they moved south, that indicates to me that they winter in the artic, i would have thought the oposite?? but i was just guessing

#15 Post by **Manxfisher** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 6:05 pm

Mackerel have been plentiful around Manx coasts from the shore this winter, especially on the west coast. I would usually expect to start catching them in March but this year I have caught them steadily throughout, including a couple of 2lb lunkers. It's not as if I am fishing different marks to previous years, or different tactics, so I know for sure that numbers were up this winter and it wasn't that I just got better at catching them. I can only speculate on whatever may have caused the change... but I hope it continues for future years.