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Mackerel
The type of Mackerel in Costa Rica, is one of the prettiest fish you will ever see, both inside and out. They have a bronze-green back with iridescent silver-blue sides, highlighted with lateral golden spots and a single aqua blue to dark blue stripe that traces from the back of the gill to the tail.
Mackerel is abundant in Costa Rica in-shore. Not a particularly hard fighting fish, our particular type of Mackerel is known for and targeted for its delicious, rosey pink meat.
Characteristics of the Mackerel
Mackerels have a slender, keeled tail base, a forked tail, and a band of narrow finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins, and are rounded and torpedo-shaped. Plankton, crustaceans, mollusks, fish eggs, and small fish are all eaten by these carnivorous fish.
Where to find a Mackerel in Costa Rica?
Spanish Mackerel can be found in Costa Rica on both the Atlantic (caribbean) and Pacific coasts. Traditionally, Atlantic Mackerel is referred to as Spanish Mackerel, but is essentially the same species that we call Pacific Sierra Mackerel (also known as ‘Mexican Sierra’ in Mexico). They can reach a length of 3.5 feet and weigh up to about 18 lb. Although specimens around 2 to 2-½ feet long and 8-12 lbs are much more common.
Why fishing Mackerel in Costa Rica?
Mackerel fishing season in Costa Rica is year round.
Important notes about the Mackerel
It is possible to find larger adults traveling alone, but they are typically found in large schools close to shore around wrecks, reefs, rocky outcroppings or other types of cover. Although Mackerel can occasionally be found off-shore around piers or other structures, that is not typically the case in Costa Rica.
Methods for catching Mackerel
They can be fished with different techniques such as:
Bottom Fishing Inshore/Offshore
Bottom fishing is the go-to technique for countless anglers out there, and it’s easy to see why. Known for its fun, action-packed outings, it can produce catches of pretty much any size., bottom fishing involves lowering a weighted hook or lure to the bottom of the water column. Sounds simple enough, right? But there’s a bit more to it than that.
One of the things that makes bottom fishing so addictive is the fact that you can practice it in an endless number of ways. Depending on the water you’re fishing, and what you want to catch, you can choose from a number of fishing styles. You can use different bait and tackle, and play around with different presentations.
Trolling
This may be the most frequent because of the small boats that move around the roosterfish fishing areas. It is true that fishing for rooster fish with this modality presents a little less emotion than the previous one, but it is the most effective. With this technique we can find areas where the active specimens are located, where we can then apply other more lively fishing methods. You can also do bottom fishing at the points where we find the active fish.
