Horse mackerel has an oblong body with a silvery belly and a greenish or dark back; it feeds mainly on various crustaceans, fry and other food of animal origin.
Horse mackerel spawns in the summer; more precise dates depend on the climatic conditions of a particular region.
Currently, horse mackerel is caught on an industrial scale, and therefore in almost any store you can find frozen fish, various canned food and snacks made from its meat.
However, horse mackerel fishing is also popular among amateur fishermen, for whom fishing is, first of all, a source of pleasure and an exciting pastime.
How, when and what to catch horse mackerel with, we will tell you in this article.
Where and when to catch horse mackerel
The population of horse mackerel is large in the Black Sea.
This schooling fish, as a rule, stays in the water column at not too great depths and actively moves, hunting for small fish, which constitute the most important part of the horse mackerel’s diet.
Of course, it can be caught from the shore, but fishing from a boat at a distance of 1-2 km from the shore will be more effective and interesting.
Horse mackerel is caught well in May-June, and the best time to hunt this sea fish is the end of summer and beginning of autumn.
It is in August-September that large flocks of horse mackerel are located close to the coastline and actively feed. Until mid-autumn, you should look for fish primarily in areas with sharp changes in depth, but still close to the shore.
When searching for a school of fish, you can focus on a cluster of birds that feed on horse mackerel, or simply follow where other fishermen are already successfully catching. With the gradual arrival of winter cold, the fish drops lower and often stands at a depth of 60-80 m.
Fishing on the Black Sea from the shore: video of spinning fishing
Marine fish have slightly different habits compared to their relatives living in freshwater bodies. Accordingly, the gear used to catch it should be different from that used for fishing on rivers or lakes. Success in sea fishing is only possible if you use special gear.
Marine fish live in a more environmentally friendly environment, since the water in rivers today is quite susceptible to pollution.
The density of fish in the seas is always greater compared to rivers, ponds and lakes. Taking this into account, marine inhabitants are more active, they are faster and more aggressive. Their organs of vision and smell are much more acute, which makes it possible to detect bait at a fairly considerable distance.
Fish in marine conditions are much more sensitive to changes in climate fluctuations. It is best to fish in calm, windless weather. When there is a strong wind, the sea begins to make noise and its inhabitants have to swim into the depths to avoid the danger of being thrown onto coastal rocks.
Sea fishing is possible in any season, the only limitation may be the presence of unfavorable weather conditions. It is distinguished by increased excitement, fascination and unusualness.
Sea fishing is also distinguished from freshwater by the fact that bait is almost never used at sea.
There are more than 150 species of fish in the Black Sea waters. Anchovy, mackerel and sprat are classified as commercial species, but in addition to them, with the help of a fishing rod it is possible to catch perch, flounder, beluga, mullet, goby, ruffe, garfish, herring and some other types of fish.
It is already traditional in the Black Sea water area to fish in open water: from a boat, but this does not mean that it is impossible to cast a fishing rod from the shore here. Both coastal fishing and water hunting from sea cliffs are available here.
Fishing from a breakwater is characterized by simplicity. For it, simple tackle is used in the form of an ordinary donkey with one or several hooks. Any rod will do - the main thing is that it is powerful and able to withstand strong pressure when casting. For such fishing, you need to choose a fishing line with a diameter of 0.25 and hooks of 7-8 denomination.
When fishing at night, shrimp, sea worms, mussels, and finely chopped fish are used for bait. The bite is determined by the tip of the rod with a reflective element or a bell.
Black Sea fishing is tempting. Fans of pelingas fishing know this, because in order to catch this fish it is necessary to mark the places where it is found. This fish sometimes even approaches certain areas of the coastline in schools, which makes fishing extremely productive.
Black Sea fishing is special and different:
- Using only durable fishing gear and artificial baits.
- Absolute lack of bite in hot weather.
- The complexity of fishing. To catch fish you will have to make a lot of effort.
- The nature of the fish's habitat: they lead a schooling lifestyle.
- Angling, as a rule, of large fish.
Black Sea fishing is most successful at the end of the summer season in August-September. If the weather is favorable, then active biting is observed even in October.
- Coastal line with a gentle increase in depth. Such fishing conditions are suitable for both beginners and fishing enthusiasts.
- Fishing from a cliff (breakwater) is characterized by extremes, so when going on such fishing, do not forget to be careful and that you must have at least minimal skill in fishing in sea conditions.
- Fishing from the pier is suitable for fans of spinning fishing and beginners learning to fish. It should be noted that during the season there is no crowd in such places, since this type of fishing is characterized by mass participation.
The Black Sea is rich in fish of different types and sizes. The well-known bullheads are the basis for many seafood dishes. To lure this fish, it is better to cast the bait to the very bottom. The waters of the Black Sea are rich in mullet fish, and off the coast there are countless singili - medium-sized fish with orange dots on the covers of the gills.
Fishing in the area of the Crimean Peninsula, closer to the Caucasus, is rich in catches of small horse mackerel. Closer to the coast of Georgia there are larger fish. Horse mackerel behaves actively in these waters, splashing playfully in the water in search of food. If you go fishing during such a period of fish life, it will not be difficult to catch a fish.
In the Black Sea waters you can catch sea crucian fish using float gear using shrimp as bait. There are also a lot of perches in the sea, which fishermen especially love to fish for.
There are a lot of mussels and crustaceans here, which make up a significant percentage of the sea fisherman's catch. Poisonous fish, such as dragonfish or sea ruffe, are often caught on the hook. Therefore, when fishing at sea, you must follow the fishing rules and be careful. Be careful what you put in your fish tank.
People go to the sea to relax, swim and sunbathe, but some, in search of active recreation, prefer to combine business with pleasure and wonder what fishing is like on the Black Sea. What are its features, what types of fish can be caught, what gear to take with you, we will consider in more detail in this article.
Sea fishing, unlike rivers and lakes, differs in conditions and fishing techniques. The population of fish is denser than in fresh water bodies, the current is always strong, with waves, and the water is clear, so the fish are always active, even in winter. It is better to fish in calm, calm weather, preferably in August. Many marine inhabitants are shy and when the wind increases, in order to avoid being thrown out to dangerous rocks by the current, they go deeper, to the bottom.
It also happens: Catching snakeheads with a spinning rod - Sports fishing
The fishing technique should be more intense, and casts should be far and correct to achieve better results. Fishing on the Black Sea from the shore is special:
- Possibility of using only hard rods and artificial baits.
- Lack of bite in the heat.
- Strong resistance when fishing for fish.
- A gregarious habit of individuals.
- Fishing mainly only for large fish.
Fishing in the Black Sea with any gear is most successful in August–September. If the weather is favorable, the fish are biting quite actively in October. In the heat of summer, catches are rare; the fish go deeper, closer to the bottom.
- Features of sea fishing ↓
- From the shore ↓
- From the rocks ↓
- From the boat ↓
- Fishing method ↓
- Trolling ↓
- Fishing with a tyrant ↓
- Bottom method ↓
- What kind of fish are there? ↓
- Choosing bait ↓
- Spearfishing ↓
Sea fishing is different from freshwater fishing. The peculiarities of hunting in the Black Sea, its inhabitants and methods of capture will be discussed in this article. The presented material will introduce you to the types of baits used and give an objective assessment of the possibilities of sea fishing.
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Unlike fishing in rivers, lakes and artificial reservoirs, sea fishing has its own specifics:
- other fishing conditions;
- other fishing techniques;
- use as bait that is not typical for freshwater bodies of water.
Methods for catching horse mackerel
A very popular and effective way is to catch horse mackerel using the so-called tyrant - multi-hook tackle, which is also used for catching other sea predators.
Using a reliable and well-made tyrant, you can not be afraid of stress on the tackle and get a solid catch in a short period of time. Fishing with various sea lures and donks is also less commonly practiced.
Horse mackerel is often caught from the shore using ordinary float rods, but such fishing is unlikely to bring significant results. More interesting and effective is catching horse mackerel with spinning rods using various baits, about which see further in the article.
Lures for fishing horse mackerel
When fishing for horse mackerel using a float rod, baits of animal origin are used as bait. Most often this is shellfish meat or small pieces of fish (up to 5-6 mm in diameter).
If you plan to catch horse mackerel using a tyrant, then no attachments will be required. They attract the attention of fish by purely visual means, that is, they catch all sorts of feathers, threads, and cambrics.
Moreover, sometimes fishermen get along quite well without them, since horse mackerel can even bite on a bare tinned hook with a long shank.
Sometimes, it is enough to detect a school of fish feeding, and a good bite is ensured even on hooks without any attachments or baits.
Horse mackerel is also caught using spinning rods and standard spinning baits, including various spinners and silicone.
Bites and fishing
Catching mackerel with a float rod is not so easy, since the fish is quite fast and resourceful, and it is not always possible to make an effective hook. The situation is different when fishing with a tyrant in places where horse mackerel is stationed: the fish, as a rule, quickly and independently catch the hooks. If, for no obvious reason, the tension of the fishing line weakens and frequent but weak tapping is observed on it, there is most likely already a catch on the hooks.
When fishing at great depths, it is possible to detect a bite only by the smallest changes in the weight of the equipment. During fishing, horse mackerel practically does not resist, so no problems should arise with this procedure.
The essence of the tackle
In essence, a tyrant is a bottom tackle consisting of a main and additional fishing line with short and elastic leashes attached to it with hooks and a weight at the end. It is used for fishing at great depths from a boat. The classic design of the gear does not involve the use of a fishing rod. The fishing line with the equipment is wound on a reel, with the help of which the equipment is controlled. But some fishermen still use the rod for greater convenience when casting and retrieving.
Catching horse mackerel with a tyrant
Samodur is the most popular fishing tackle for horse mackerel and a number of other fish species. It got its name due to the fact that fish are attracted to bright, enticing elements (feathers, threads, elastic bands) or even shiny bare hooks, and interest ultimately leads to falling into a trap.
To catch horse mackerel using a tyrant, you will need a strong rod with an average length of 2.5-3.5 m. The more hooks you use, the longer the rod should be.
The optimal range is considered to be 2.7-3 m. An approximate rod test is 60-140 g.
As for the choice of reel, both an inertia-free and an inertial durable model may well be suitable for catching horse mackerel in a plumb line. For fishing from the shore, it is better to use a spinning reel. Its mechanism and overall design must be strong and reliable, and the spool must hold 100-200 m of fishing line.
For leashes, a fishing line with a diameter of 0.15-0.2 mm is used, but the thickness of the main fishing line should be 0.3-0.4 mm.
A fishing line that is too thick will make the tackle rough, which will negatively affect the mackerel bites.
The length of the leashes is small, only 3-5 cm.
The approximate distance between them on the main line is 10-15 cm, adjacent hooks should “look” in different directions.
It is convenient to use small carabiners to attach leashes.
You will need a fairly heavy sinker, since you will be using long casts from the shore or diving to great depths when fishing vertically. An oblong weight with a weight of 60-120 g is suitable.
It is also necessary to select high-quality shiny hooks with a long shank and a sharp sting, No. 5-8. The quantity can be 3-4 copies, or 10-15.
For additional attractiveness, various small elements are attached to them, be it feathers, multi-colored threads, beads or something else. As mentioned earlier, you can do without such baits, since mackerel in flocks often bite even on empty shiny hooks.
Tyrant, what kind of gear is this?
Samodur is a fishing equipment that is used for hunting schooling varieties of fish, such as horse mackerel, goby, herring, smelt, and saber fish. This is a bottom tackle, which is also successfully used for fishing in water. Fishing with a tyrant can be done both standing still and moving.
The design of the tyrant for horse mackerel allows you to catch several fish at the same time. The main purpose of the equipment is to catch predators, but it can also be successfully used for catching calmer species of fish.
A classic fishing device consists of:
- reeler;
- main line;
- additional fishing line;
- carbines;
- leashes;
- weights;
- hooks;
- various baits.
How to make a tyrant? The motive force can be replaced with a rod and a powerful reel. The main fishing line - a cord made of nylon or nylon should not be shorter than 50 m. The thickness of the fishing line is selected according to the size of the planned catch, as well as depending on the transparency of the water in the reservoir in which fishing is carried out. The number of leashes and the size of hooks depends on what kind of horse mackerel you plan to catch.
Catching mackerel involves the use of bait, which can be bright feathers of birds (ducks, chickens, guinea fowl) or colored threads. You can also use maggots, worms, mussels, snails and more for these purposes.
