Mackerel

[Luke]

Seem to be hitting pockets of them when I've been out recently. Nothing... nothing... nothing... a rod full... nothing... nothing... a rod full, etc. etc. They're certainly not everywhere. Still hoping for them to show up in huge numbers over the next few weeks like last year.

[chrisdonna]

Mike,
But trawlers can take 5 tons each and inshore local fishermen 200 kgs a month.
Not certain if these figure are exactly right but the reasoning behind it is that pleasure anglers take 25% of all bass captures which is surely bonkers.
EU directive - another reason to get out of this communist organisation.
Chrisd

[Mike J]

Mike,
But trawlers can take 5 tons each and inshore local fishermen 200 kgs a month.
Not certain if these figure are exactly right but the reasoning behind it is that pleasure anglers take 25% of all bass captures which is surely bonkers.
EU directive - another reason to get out of this communist organisation.
Chrisd

Yes I agree.
In Portugal they implemented a licence for recreational sea anglers, where does the revenue money go, to the commercials who suffer poor catches, why, because the depleted stocks are the fault of recreational anglers.
That is the sort of decision you get from an EU supported Socio-Communist Government.

[Dave Horton]

Thick with them all along Kent coast , dungy , Hythe

I don't suppose you've got hundreds stashed in ya freezer and have any going spare?

(Do you please Mart face)

[Mike J]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

[Kevin O'Keeffe]

Meant filling a Freezer box of macks and just catching some bass Mike.... Fully aware of the Bass issue though I didn't trouble the scorer on either count!
Local boats where not finding and macs last week despite calm conditions. Even the 2 hr mackerel trips where cancelled!

Saw very few ganets or corms down on the Lizard compared to prev years. Local boatman said they are worried the sandeels have been overfished and the knock on will be nasty!

[chrisdonna]

Kevin,
The sand eel issue has reared it ugly head in West Wales with a Russian trawler raping the sand eel stocks for fertiliser.
Locals can`t get them for bait so what chance do the Bass or Macky have?
Chrisd

[Dave Horton]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

I can't say that I've noticed that with my own frozen ones, Mike but then I've not done this too frequently.

(I have though noticed some of the ones purchased through bait suppliers have been less than good face)

[Kevin O'Keeffe]

Kevin,
The sand eel issue has reared it ugly head in West Wales with a Russian trawler raping the sand eel stocks for fertiliser.
Locals can`t get them for bait so what chance do the Bass or Macky have?
Chrisd

Not good!!!

[Kevin O'Keeffe]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

I can't say that I've noticed that with my own frozen ones, Mike but then I've not done this too frequently.

(I have though noticed some of the ones purchased through bait suppliers have been less than good face)

Maybe like Pike they go through a rough time post spawning and are better in the lead up to the spawning months? Or maybe it coincides with food source. Pike in trout waters always seem a lot more "solid" than pit and broads fish I catch.... Just musing over lunch! No science to it.

[chris_parry]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

I can't say that I've noticed that with my own frozen ones, Mike but then I've not done this too frequently.

(I have though noticed some of the ones purchased through bait suppliers have been less than good face)

Maybe like Pike they go through a rough time post spawning and are better in the lead up to the spawning months? Or maybe it coincides with food source. Pike in trout waters always seem a lot more "solid" than pit and broads fish I catch.... Just musing over lunch! No science to it.

A few years ago I noticed when out on the sea, that mackerel which had been gutted immediately before going in the fish box remained in pristine condition compared with mackerel which had not been gutted, even though all were covered with ice. The gutted ones were meant for eating and the others for pike baits.
After about two hours, the fish which had been gutted were still firm to touch whereas the others showed signs of softness which would suggest that the guts are partly responsible for the slow decay of the fish. The secret to quality pike baits is to get them frozen as soon as possible, I suppose .

[Kev Berry]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

I can't say that I've noticed that with my own frozen ones, Mike but then I've not done this too frequently.

(I have though noticed some of the ones purchased through bait suppliers have been less than good face)

Maybe like Pike they go through a rough time post spawning and are better in the lead up to the spawning months? Or maybe it coincides with food source. Pike in trout waters always seem a lot more "solid" than pit and broads fish I catch.... Just musing over lunch! No science to it.

A few years ago I noticed when out on the sea, that mackerel which had been gutted immediately before going in the fish box remained in pristine condition compared with mackerel which had not been gutted, even though all were covered with ice. The gutted ones were meant for eating and the others for pike baits.
After about two hours, the fish which had been gutted were still firm to touch whereas the others showed signs of softness which would suggest that the guts are partly responsible for the slow decay of the fish. The secret to quality pike baits is to get them frozen as soon as possible, I suppose .

auto digestion---which is why you see sardines with their bellies splitting open if not fresh

[Kevin O'Keeffe]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

I can't say that I've noticed that with my own frozen ones, Mike but then I've not done this too frequently.

(I have though noticed some of the ones purchased through bait suppliers have been less than good face)

Maybe like Pike they go through a rough time post spawning and are better in the lead up to the spawning months? Or maybe it coincides with food source. Pike in trout waters always seem a lot more "solid" than pit and broads fish I catch.... Just musing over lunch! No science to it.

A few years ago I noticed when out on the sea, that mackerel which had been gutted immediately before going in the fish box remained in pristine condition compared with mackerel which had not been gutted, even though all were covered with ice. The gutted ones were meant for eating and the others for pike baits.
After about two hours, the fish which had been gutted were still firm to touch whereas the others showed signs of softness which would suggest that the guts are partly responsible for the slow decay of the fish. The secret to quality pike baits is to get them frozen as soon as possible, I suppose .

Yep especially I find wih sardines. Blast frozen on the boat seems to me to be better than those off the slab. But rarely as big!!

[chris_parry]

To those of you that freeze your own.
Has anyone noticed that some thaw out almost as good as they were when caught yet others are soft and mushy?
When I sea fished two or more days a week I used to freeze down all the mackerel nobody wanted (from the 'catching our tea' session on the way in) freezing them individually that evening.
When thawed I always noticed that some would be perfect while others absolute rubbish, trouble is I cannot remember exactly what months produced the best baits

I can't say that I've noticed that with my own frozen ones, Mike but then I've not done this too frequently.

(I have though noticed some of the ones purchased through bait suppliers have been less than good face)

Maybe like Pike they go through a rough time post spawning and are better in the lead up to the spawning months? Or maybe it coincides with food source. Pike in trout waters always seem a lot more "solid" than pit and broads fish I catch.... Just musing over lunch! No science to it.

A few years ago I noticed when out on the sea, that mackerel which had been gutted immediately before going in the fish box remained in pristine condition compared with mackerel which had not been gutted, even though all were covered with ice. The gutted ones were meant for eating and the others for pike baits.
After about two hours, the fish which had been gutted were still firm to touch whereas the others showed signs of softness which would suggest that the guts are partly responsible for the slow decay of the fish. The secret to quality pike baits is to get them frozen as soon as possible, I suppose .

Yep especially I find wih sardines. Blast frozen on the boat seems to me to be better than those off the slab. But rarely as big!!

+1