Sea fishing for Black Sea horse mackerel

Horse mackerel is a widespread schooling sea fish, reaching a length of 50 cm and a weight of 1.5 kg, but in most cases small fish up to 200 grams are found.
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:

1. Using only durable fishing gear and artificial baits.
2. Absolute lack of bite in hot weather.
3. The complexity of fishing. To catch fish you will have to make a lot of effort.
4. The nature of the fish's habitat: they lead a schooling lifestyle.
5. 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.

1. Coastal line with a gentle increase in depth. Such fishing conditions are suitable for both beginners and fishing enthusiasts.
2. 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.
3. 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: Old methods of 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:

1. Possibility of using only hard rods and artificial baits.
2. Lack of bite in the heat.
3. Strong resistance when fishing for fish.
4. A gregarious habit of individuals.
5. 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.

Lures

To catch horse mackerel, you can use both natural and artificial baits. Various animal baits are relevant when fishing with float rods and donks. This can be shellfish meat, chopped pieces of fresh or frozen fish, or the Nereis sea worm.

When using a spinning rod, anglers use the following baits:

• jigs;
• small narrow-bodied vibrators;
• diving wobblers;
• silicone twisters, octopuses, worms and others.

Catching horse mackerel with tyrants does not involve the use of natural or artificial baits. A piece of red thread, all sorts of feathers, cambrics are attached to the hook, and less often simple flies are tied. Some anglers even fish with a bare single fish. To do this, take shiny models with a long forearm.

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.

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.

Sea fishing for Black Sea horse mackerel

> Where to fish > Reports, stories > Sea fishing for Black Sea horse mackerel

Horse mackerel,

this is one of the most common types of fish living in the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Black Sea horse mackerel,

is a separate subspecies, but here there are two forms. Southern mackerel has large sizes up to 55 cm, and ordinary mackerel is much smaller and rarely exceeds 20 cm in length.

The appearance of the Black Sea mackerel is not much different from the Mediterranean one. It has a spindle-shaped body, and along the lateral line there is a whole row of scutes tightly adjacent to each other. Horse mackerel has a large head and strong jaws studded with small teeth. The best belt for catching horse mackerel

- autumn. At this time, it is quite fatty and its meat tastes better. Autumn mackerel is valued much more than spring mackerel, since the meat of mackerel in the spring is rather dry.

Fishing for Black Sea horse mackerel

is carried out throughout almost the entire Black Sea. Horse mackerel spawns almost all summer from the end of May to the first half of August, when the average water temperature reaches +20 °C.

The basis of the horse mackerel's diet is crustaceans and small fish. Horse mackerel goes to a depth of 30-100 meters to spend the winter and practically stops feeding.

Horse mackerel is one of the most numerous fish species in the Black Sea and is the object of large-scale fishing. Due to the pollution of the Black Sea, its population has decreased quite significantly since the 90s of the last century, but today mine has become a little cleaner, and the mackerel population has begun to increase again. Now there are much more of these fish off the coast.

Where to catch horse mackerel

Fishing for Black Sea mackerel begins in May, but the real active bite of this fish begins with the arrival of autumn, and the mackerel begins to eat. If you catch a fattening flock of horse mackerel in the fall, you can catch a full 10-liter bucket within 30-40 minutes. It is best to look for schools of horse mackerel in a group of several boats.

If fishing for horse mackerel

passes only on one boat, then you need to sail to where several boats have gathered, most likely there is a school of feeding fish and
horse mackerel fishing
is in full swing there.

Catching horse mackerel in Odessa

It is possible within the city limits and it often happens that fishing is successful.
For example, from the 10th station to the “Golden Coast” on the 16th, there are several points where you can rent a boat. This pleasure costs from 5 to 9 hryvnia per hour in rubles from 25 to 40 rubles. Another excellent place for fishing for horse mackerel
is the coast of the port of Ilyichevsk.

From Odessa you can easily get there by minibus in 15-20 minutes. You can also take a minibus to the villages of Gribovka and Sanzheika, where you can fish almost along the entire coast to the village of Zatoki. You can also get to the outflow by train in the direction of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, you should get off at the stations Druzhba, Solnechnaya, Limanskaya or Studencheskaya.

If you are vacationing on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and want to catch horse mackerel, it is best in the morning or evening to go to the piers where local fishermen gather, they will explain everything to you in detail. Fundamentally, fishing for
horse mackerel
, it is not much different from fishing on the coast of Odessa or Crimea.

Techniques for catching horse mackerel

Separately, it should be noted that it is prohibited to go to sea without registering a boat, rubber or any other. The boat must be registered. So the boat should be noted by the border guards, otherwise a lot of problems will arise, and the whole fishing will end there.

Horse mackerel fishing

It is carried out with various tackles; you can catch it with a long spinning rod, a float rod, near the shore or from a boat with onboard rods. The most effective way to catch horse mackerel is to fish vertically from a boat, with a feeder or a spinning rod about 3.5 meters long.

The boat must be reliable, since you will have to fish at least half a kilometer from the shore. Residents of the Black Sea coast practically do not use rubber boats; the sea is not a village pond or even the Volga River; it is dangerous to joke with it. When anchoring a boat, you must not forget that the length of the anchor chain should be at least twice the depth that is under the boat. This is necessary so that in case of rough seas, the waves do not flood the boat through the bow or capsize it.

Horse mackerel is a schooling fish and for fishing horse mackerel

complex nozzle-free tackle with a large number of hooks is used. The length of the rod depends on the number of hooks on the tackle; the more hooks, the longer the rod.

When fishing for horse mackerel in a plumb line, a reel, inertial or inertial-free, is used. The fishing line must be resistant to sea water, which is known to contain a lot of salt. The diameter of the fishing line is 0.3-0.4 mm, and the weight of the sinker used is from 80 to 120 grams, shaped like a spindle.

Tackle for fishing for horse mackerel: thread a fishing line through the rings of the rod and tie a carabiner with a swivel to the main fishing line. And then there is a fishing line insert, to which leashes with hooks called “tyrant” are attached. Usually the tackle is equipped with at least five leashes, and the maximum number can be 15 leashes, it all depends on the skill of the fisherman and the length of the rod. It is not recommended for beginners to use more than 7-8 hooks. Due to the fact that it is not safe for the fisherman.

Ready-made “tyrants” can be bought on the market without any problems; they are usually knitted and sold by the fishermen themselves. They are not expensive, 50-70 rubles, and you need to have several of these “tyrants” due to frequent breaks, but you can tie them yourself; this is not too difficult a task compared to making a fly fishing fly.

For this you need a hook with a long shank according to the European classification No. 16-14. Various feathers, Christmas tree rain, lurex, and colored threads must be tied to the hook along the fore-end. Horse mackerel is not a capricious fish and does not require any special color preferences. The main thing is not to overdo it, so that the feathering of the hook is not too voluminous, but a shiny element must be present there. You must not forget to cover the thread with which all other elements are tied to the hook with waterproof varnish.

The method of fishing with a tyrant is very similar to the method of fishing with a winter fishing rod. Fishing must be done from a boat at a depth of 15 to 40 meters. After anchoring the boat, the tackle is unwound, and the load is lowered to the very bottom, and then raised by 30-49 cm, then fishing begins.

The whole process consists of periodically lowering and raising the tackle and periodically twitching, something similar to flashing. There are times when mackerel is at half-water or even at the surface and then the tackle must be raised higher. Use tyrants when fishing for horse mackerel

, it is necessary to be extremely careful both in the process of fishing and in the process of removing prey from the hooks.

Experienced fishermen, who have often caught horse mackerel, advise using hooks without catching them; it is easier to remove the caught fish from them. When several individuals caught at once are fluttering around on the “tyrant”, there is a high probability of hooking their body and getting hurt. In such situations you need to be careful.

If you are a novice fisherman and do not have experience working with gear that has many hooks, then it is better if you first use gear that has no more than 5 hooks.

The bites of even small horse mackerel are very well felt, and large specimens can tear with such force that it seems like they will tear the rod out of your hands. When the place is chosen correctly, and there is a hundred horse mackerel there, up to 5 fish are often pulled out at a time; if the rod is equipped with more than a dozen hooks, then it is not uncommon to catch 10 fish at once.

You should know that you are not the only one who hunts mackerel, and it is a tasty dish for katran, garfish and even dolphin. There are plenty of cases when a large katran or garfish snatched a fishing rod from his hands and even knocked down a fisherman who was clinging to the fishing rod; there are known cases when bottlenose dolphins fell for the “tyrant”.

Catching Black Sea horse mackerel brings real pleasure; the bite can be such that your hands begin to get tired of the tackle. If you have the opportunity to hunt for this fish, do not miss your chance.

Published: 11/07/2013

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