Top Cities for Spanish Mackerel Fishing
What makes Captain Experiences Damn Good?
Damn Good Guides
You will only find quality, vetted guides on Captain Experiences, and we know them all on a first-name basis.
Experts Available 24/7
Our US-based team is available 24/7 to help you with any questions or concerns.
100% Weather Guarantee
We want to keep everyone safe, so if the weather is bad we'll work with you to reschedule at no cost.
4.9 / 5 Average Rating
We hand pick our Damn Good Guides, and our network spans across North America and beyond.
“Our Damn Good Guides go above and beyond, and we've handpicked every single one. We're passionate about the outdoors and look forward to getting you out on the trip of a lifetime, every time.”
Jonathan and Attison | Co-founders | Austin, Texas
Spanish Mackerel Fishing Charters
Deep Sea Fishing in Boynton Beach
Halfday Offshore Pm
Nearshore Fishing in Panama City Beach
Trolling Trips - CH
Inshore, Jetty Fishing in Galveston
Galveston Jetty Trip
South West Florida Skinny Waters
Inshore, Deep Sea, Nearshore in Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Fishing
Inshore, Nearshore Fishing in Holmes Beach
Anna Maria Inshore And Nearshore
Didn't Find What You Were Looking For?
Our guides are Damn Good Guides, which means they’re vetted by our team of outdoor experts who know them on a first-name basis. We hand pick each and every one of them, and our network spans all across the US and beyond.
The proof is in the pudding, and we’re incredibly proud of our 4.9 / 5 average review score. Hit the button below to see more trip options:
Everything to Know About Booking a spanish mackerel fishing charter
What are the best spanish mackerel fishing charters?
The best spanish mackerel fishing charters are:
- Pisces Fishing & Adventures guided by Christopher C.
- Southern Charters guided by Zachary R.
- Destin Inshore Fishing Company guided by Christian D. with 33 years of experience
- Reef Runner Sportfishing Charter guided by Paul J. with 45 years of experience
- Above C Level Adventures guided by Clay M.
Why should I book a spanish mackerel fishing charter with Captain Experiences?
Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 72 spanish mackerel trips, and the most popular trips are Texas Close Offshore Trip guided by Mike, 6hr Nearshore Trip guided by Christopher, and Inshore Offshore Combo guided by Bobby.
Our guides are rated a 4.97 out of 5 based on 8854 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.
All guides on Captain Experiences are vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.
Looking for kid friendly spanish mackerel guides / fishing lessons? Check out our beginner and family friendly spanish mackerel guides.
What types of spanish mackerel fishing charters are common?
Deep Sea fishing is the most popular type of fishing for spanish mackerel as well as nearshore fishing, inshore fishing, and flats fishing.
The most common fishing techniques are bottom fishing, light tackle fishing, and trolling but live bait fishing and artificial lure fishing are popular as well.
How much do spanish mackerel fishing charters cost?
Prices for spanish mackerel can range anywhere from about $600 to $3,300, but the average price for a half day trip for spanish mackerel is $1,163. The average price for a full day trip for spanish mackerel is $2,189.
Is booking a fishing guide worth the money?
Hiring a guide provides a number of benefits and many choose to book a fishing guide for a combination of experience, local knowledge, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.
Working with experienced fishing guides who know the best local spots and techniques can dramatically increase your odds of a great day. Having someone who is on the water every day and knows the area like the back of their hand is going to give you the best chances of success.
Booking a guide is also more cost effective, especially if you only get out a handful of times per year. When you consider all of the costs you would incur on your own such as the price of a boat, maintenance, insurance, gas, high-quality gear and tackle, repairs, and more, you’ll find that DIY is sometimes not worth the expense.
Even if you’ve got a great setup already in your home waters, booking a guide also provides a great opportunity to experience new techniques, new locations, or even a chance at a new target species to knock off the bucket list.
What month is best for spanish mackerel fishing?
The most popular season for spanish mackerel fishing is summer, and most anglers book their trips 15 days in advance.
Do I need a fishing license for spanish mackerel and what are the bag limits for spanish mackerel?
See here for more information on spanish mackerel fishing licenses, spanish mackerel bag limits, and fishing season regulations for spanish mackerel. When in doubt, your guide will always know all the relevant spanish mackerel rules and regulations.
What is a Spanish Mackerel?
Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) are saltwater fish, found in the Atlantic ocean. They have a green back, silver sides with three rows of yellow spots on both sides and sharp jaws. These spots help to separate them from the cero and king mackerel, who otherwise look very similar.
They are strong swimmers, reaching speeds of up to 18 feet per second, for stretches of up to 20 miles. Built for speed with their bullet-shaped bodies, be ready for an energetic fight once you have one hooked. Thanks to conservation efforts after overfishing in the 1980s, starting the fight will be a much easier feat now that the species has been brought back from the brink!
How big do Spanish Mackerel get?
Not typically regarded as a bragging rights fish, spanish mackerel are typically between two and six pounds. Those that grow larger than ten pounds are considered large. They are usually at their full size at five years for males, and six years for females.
What's the biggest Spanish Mackerel ever caught?
On November 4th, 1987, Robert Cranton caught the International Game Fish Association world record for spanish mackerel. Weighing in at a solid 13 pounds, this beast was caught out of Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina, and has yet to be officially beat.
Where is the best place to catch Spanish Mackerel?
Spanish mackerel are a shallow water species, staying in depths of 10 to 40 feet, however can occasionally be found as deep as 80 feet. They can be found as far south as the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Some of the most highly regarded areas to fish for spanish mackerel are Miami and the Keys in Florida, and also the northern Texas coast.
When should I catch Spanish Mackerel?
Spanish mackerel are migratory fish who follow rising water temperatures. Due to this, it is important to follow their pattern and target them according to where they are along their route during season changes.
The Gulf of Mexico tends to be the best from May to September, whereas in the Atlantic, you can find them travelling north up the United States coast line in the spring summer, and then head down south towards Cancun for the fall and winter.
How do you catch Spanish Mackerel?
There are several spots to look for spanish mackerel depending on how deep of water you are targeting them in. For offshore and nearshore, look for structures that they may school around, while inshore check the surfs, flats, piers, and jetties.
They tend to feed in large schools near the surface, so another convenient way to find them is by watching for water commotion as well as bird activity.
Spanish mackerel can be caught with many different lures and baits. Nylon jigs, feather lures and spoons work great for artificial, while minnows and live shrimp work great for natural bait. They can be used while trolling or drift fishing, or just casting off the pier.
Are Spanish Mackerel good to eat? What are the best Spanish Mackerel recipes?
Spanish mackerel are a very popular white fish, and is best eaten fresh. There are many ways to prepare mackerel, whether you broil, fry, bake, or even smoke them. However, the most popular way to enjoy spanish mackerel is in sushi! At many sushi restaurants, you will find it under the name sawara.
Recent Reviews
Narrow Down Your Search
Other Fishing Species
- African Pompano
- Albacore Tuna
- Alligator Gar
- Almaco Jack
- Amberjack
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Barracuda
- Bigeye Tuna
- Black Drum
- Black Grouper
- Black Marlin
- Black Seabass
- Blackbelly Rosefish
- Blackfin Tuna
- Blacktip Shark
- Blue Catfish
- Blue Marlin
- Blue Shark
- Bluefin Tuna
- Bluefish
- Bonefish
- Bonito
- Bonnethead Shark
- Bream
- Bull Shark
- Calico Bass
- Cero Mackerel
- Channel Catfish
- Cobia
- Cubera Snapper
- Dog Snapper
- Dogtooth Tuna
- Dusky Shark
- False Albacore
- Florida Pompano
- Flounder
- Fluke
- Gag Grouper
- Garfish
- Giant Trevally
- Goliath Grouper
- Great White Shark
- Grunt
- Gulf Grouper
- Hammerhead Shark
- Hardhead Catfish
- Hogfish
- Horse-eye Jack
- Hybrid Striped Bass
- Jack Crevalle
- Kingfish
- Ladyfish
- Lane Snapper
- Lemon Shark
- Leopard Shark
- Lingcod
- Lionfish
- Mahi Mahi
- Mako Shark
- Mangrove Snapper
- Mutton Snapper
- Needlefish
- Nurse Shark
- Permit
- Queen Snapper
- Rainbow Runner
- Ray
- Red Grouper
- Red Snapper
- Redfish
- Rockfish
- Roosterfish
- Sailfish
- Sandbar Shark
- Scamp Grouper
- Scup
- Sheepshead
- Shrimp
- Sierra Mackerel
- Skate
- Skipjack Tuna
- Snook
- Snowy Grouper
- Spadefish
- Speckled Trout
- Spinner Shark
- Spiny Dogfish
- Stingray
- Strawberry Grouper
- Striped Bass
- Striped Marlin
- Swordfish
- Tarpon
- Tautog
- Thresher Shark
- Tiger Shark
- Tigerfish
- Tilefish
- Triggerfish
- Tripletail
- Vermillion Snapper
- Wahoo
- Warsaw Grouper
- Weakfish
- White Marlin
- White Seabass
- Whiting
- Yellowfin Tuna
- Yellowtail Amberjack
- Yellowtail Snapper
Hunting Species
Tour Species
States
Cities
- Anna Maria, FL
- Annapolis, MD
- Apalachicola, FL
- Apollo Beach, FL
- Atlantic Beach, NC
- Bay Pines, FL
- Baytown, TX
- Beaufort, NC
- Belfast, ME
- Belleair, FL
- Belleair Bluffs, FL
- Big Pine Key, FL
- Biloxi, MS
- Boca Raton, FL
- Bokeelia, FL
- Boynton Beach, FL
- Bradenton, FL
- Buxton, NC
- Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
- Cancún, Mexico
- Cape May, NJ
- Carolina, Puerto Rico
- Carolina Beach, NC
- Carrabelle, FL
- Caye Caulker, Belize
- Cedar Key, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Chokoloskee, FL
- Clearwater, FL
- Cocoa Beach, FL
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico
- Crystal River, FL
- Cypremort Point, LA
- D'Iberville, MS
- Dauphin Island, AL
- Deale, MD
- Del Coco Beach, Costa Rica
- Destin, FL
- Eastpoint, FL
- Elberta, AL
- Emerald Isle, NC
- Falmouth, MA
- Fernandina Beach, FL
- Flagler Beach, FL
- Folly Beach, SC
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Myers Beach, FL
- Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Freeport, TX
- Galveston, TX
- Grand Isle, LA
- Grant-Valkaria, FL
- Gulf Breeze, FL
- Gulf Shores, AL
- Gulfport, FL
- Gulfport, MS
- Hampstead, NC
- Hampton, VA
- Harkers Island, NC
- Hatteras, NC
- Hillsboro Beach, FL
- Hilton Head Island, SC
- Hitchcock, TX
- Holiday, FL
- Holmes Beach, FL
- Homestead, FL
- Homosassa, FL
- Hudson, FL
- Indian Rocks Beach, FL
- Indian Shores, FL
- Islamorada, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jacksonville Beach, FL
- Jensen Beach, FL
- Johns Island, SC
- Jupiter, FL
- Key Biscayne, FL
- Key Largo, FL
- Key West, FL
- La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico
- Lantana, FL
- Largo, FL
- Little River, SC
- Loiza, Puerto Rico
- Longport, NJ
- Manteo, NC
- Marathon, FL
- Marco Island, FL
- Matagorda, TX
- Matlacha, FL
- Melbourne, FL
- Melbourne Beach, FL
- Miami, FL
- Miami Beach, FL
- Milford, CT
- Morehead City, NC
- Mount Pleasant, SC
- Murrells Inlet, SC
- Myrtle Beach, SC
- Nags Head, NC
- Naples, FL
- Nassau, The Bahamas
- Navarre, FL
- New Orleans, LA
- New Smyrna Beach, FL
- Newport, NC
- Niceville, FL
- Norfolk, VA
- North Myrtle Beach, SC
- North Topsail Beach, NC
- Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico
- Ocean City, MD
- Ocean Isle Beach, NC
- Olhão, Portugal
- Orange Beach, AL
- Oxford, MD
- Palmetto, FL
- Panama City, FL
- Panama City Beach, FL
- Pensacola, FL
- Pensacola Beach, FL
- Placencia, Stann Creek District, Belize
- Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica
- Playa del Carmen, Mexico
- Pompano Beach, FL
- Port Aransas, TX
- Port Canaveral, FL
- Port Isabel, TX
- Port O'Connor, TX
- Port Orange, FL
- Port St. Joe, FL
- Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Punta Gorda, FL
- Punta Mita, Mexico
- Redington Shores, FL
- Riverview, FL
- Riviera Beach, FL
- Ruskin, FL
- Saint George Island, FL
- Saluda, VA
- Santa Rosa Beach, FL
- Sarasota, FL
- Savannah, GA
- Sebastian, FL
- Shalimar, FL
- Sneads Ferry, NC
- South Padre Island, TX
- Sri Vijaya Puram, India
- St. Augustine, FL
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Steinhatchee, FL
- Stevensville, MD
- Stock Island, FL
- Stone Harbor, NJ
- Stuart, FL
- Summerland Key, FL
- Tamarindo, Costa Rica
- Tampa, FL
- Tarpon Springs, FL
- Tavernier, FL
- Topsail Beach, NC
- Treasure Island, FL
- Tulum, Mexico
- Venice, FL
- Vero Beach, FL
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Walton County, FL
- Wanchese, NC
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Wilmington, NC
- Wrightsville Beach, NC
- Yankeetown, FL