Overview
School mackerel are the workhorse mackerel of northern bays and inshore shoals, happy in the turbid water that pushes other mackerel offshore.
They hold on structure more than spotties do, which makes them predictable around shoals, beacons and channel edges.
They are excellent eating when bled and iced quickly, with a firmer, whiter flesh than spotted mackerel.
Where to find them
- ▸Shallow shoals and rubble patches in 8–20 m.
- ▸Channel markers and beacons in tidal bays.
- ▸Reef edges near river mouths on a run-in tide.
- ▸Bait schools sitting on the bottom in dirty water.
Tackle
- ▸Rod: 6'6"–7' spin or overhead rated 8–15 kg.
- ▸Line: 30 lb braid with 40 lb fluorocarbon and a 15 cm wire bite trace.
- ▸Lures: 90–120 mm deep-diving hard-bodies; pilchard on gangs under a float.
Tips from the water
- ▸Troll at 5–6 knots along the edge of a shoal until you find the school, then anchor and berley.
- ▸Use a wire bite trace — school mackerel bite off far more lures than spotties.
- ▸Fish the last of the run-in when water clarity is at its best.
Regulations
Size, bag and possession limits differ between states and can change each season. Check the current rules with your state fisheries authority before keeping a fish.