THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 10, 1994 TAG: 9407070197
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 50 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Tight Lines
SOURCE: Ford Reid
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Out on the clear, calm water they were jumping, cutting through the surface, forming an arc with their bodies and slipping back into the sea with the quiet grace of an Olympic diver.
There are several inshore fish that will, from time to time, jump.
Mullet jump and bluefish jump, too, but this had to be Spanish mackerel. It is hard to put into words, but if you spend enough time staring at the ocean, you begin to intuitively know what fish you've seen, even if you only get a glimpse from the corner of your eye.
Bluefish tend to jump in bunches, as a school chases bait. They make quite a commotion.
Why mullet jump remains a mystery, but how they jump is no secret. Let's just say that they aren't as graceful as Spanish mackerel or even bluefish.
Anyway, once you know that there are Spanish mackerel around, it is time to do something about it.
A light rod that will throw a small lure 150 feet or so is ideal. It should be fitted with a reel holding eight or 10-pound test line.
These fish are very active feeders, chasing the silver sides and anchovies close to shore. Any small, silvery lure properly fished is likely to fool a Spanish mackerel.
Cast as far as you can and bring back the lure very, very quickly. The only time to slow down your retrieve is if you are pulling the lure out of the water.
The fish will be moving so fast that it will be impossible to cast to them. Cover as much water as possible and, sooner or later, a Spanish will find your lure.
Spanish mackerel have sharp teeth, but they are leader shy. If you must use a leader, it ought to be of clear monofilament. I prefer to tie the lure directly onto the running line. I lose a few fish - and lures - because of that but I think I get many more strikes and that is what I'm after.
And strike they do. Spanish hit hard. Once hooked, they are usually not strong enough to test your tackle, but they will put up a bit of a struggle.
Speckled trout and pompano have their fans, but I think the Spanish mackerel is the prettiest of the inshore fish.
They also have the distinct advantage of being the easiest to clean. The fillets practically jump off the bones and onto the grill.
It is a relatively oily fish. You can fry them, but I would rather have them broiled. That way, a lot of that oil drips off into the fire instead of lying on your plate.
North Carolina regulations require that to be a keeper a Spanish mackerel must be 12 inches fork length, that is a foot from the tip of the nose to the fork in the tail.
The law also limits a day's catch to ten per person.
If you are lucky enough to catch that many, and you know that you will eat them all, keep them.
But think hard before you take that many home. Fish that are released alive might not always survive, but they always have a better chance than the ones tossed in the garbage can. by CNB