In the Fall along the Big Bend, we get a few pelagic fish that pass through the area. Cobia, spanish mackerel and pompano are the most common, but one that I don’t see around the cleaning tables at the dock are king fish. I know they’re out there because I have caught them offshore a few times and even had a “smoker” come through my chum slick in 10 feet of water while targeting spanish mackerel. 

Spanish mackerel are out there right now. Have you ever been trout fishing and get a quick strike only to reel in a cut leader? Yep, that was a mackerel. They have some sharp scissor-like teeth. One way to prevent cutoff when targeting spanish mackerel is to use a 1/0 Eagle Claw long shank hook. The long shank hook will act as your leader. Up sizing your leader can help or even using a steel leader but the bite ratio will go down because mackerels do have good eyes and will shy away from heavy lines sometimes. 

Some good areas to target spanish mackerel are around the Spoil Banks, west off Marker 2 in Homosassa near a rock pile. Mackerel respond well to chum, and it can get them concentrated around the vessel. Use the long shank hook free-lined with a live shrimp in the chum slick to get the bite.

As far as eating spanish mackerel, they are good as long as you prepare them fresh. For frying I like to fillet, skin them and cut them into strips without the blood line. Another popular way is to butterfly the fillet “skin on” and smoke them to make fish dip or just enjoy a good smoked fish.

High incoming time will be in the morning this weekend.

Homosassa Inshore Fishing Report from Captain William Toney

To schedule a fishing charter or shore lunch excursion with Captain Toney, visit his website. He is a third-generation fishing guide in the Homosassa area, a member of the Homosassa Guides Association, and he provides the Homosassa Inshore Fishing Report each week to NatureCoaster.com.

To read about our Shore Lunch excursion with Captain Toney, click here.

If you want to learn more about how to catch Nature Coast fish from Captain Toney, subscribe to his videos at https://inthespread.com