Summer 2015 Mackerel Merge. Mod note #1

ComfortKid

That's strange, I wasn't far off Doolin yesterday and I was bringing in 3 or 4 every single cast for 2 hours.

Would agree though, the trawlers are doing damage, mack fishing has been declining the last 2 or 3 years. Of course we will blame the foreigners and travellers though..

ComfortKid

What is the best way to freeze mackerel guys, Does it make a difference if its frozen whole or should it be frozen as fillets

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

ComfortKid wrote: »

What is the best way to freeze mackerel guys, Does it make a difference if its frozen whole or should it be frozen as fillets

If for bait, I find they keep better whole.

ComfortKid

Giana Delightful Brain wrote:

If for bait, I find they keep better whole.

Bait for me ha. I will be eating them?

scuby

If freezing to eat, use fillets

ComfortKid

scuby wrote:

If freezing to eat, use fillets

Ok, thanks. Any reason? I often see whole fish frozen at the mongers so thought thats how it should be done.

John T Carroll

ComfortKid wrote: »

Bait for me ha. I will be eating them?

I think "whole" is probably correct but I never do it this way. I catch them and any mackerel that i freeze is towards the end of the summer or right up to October. I clean them out where I catch them, obviously after removing head & tail, I like to fry/grill the mackerel on the bone so I fillet some and leave some on the bone and put about 4 (enough for one meal) in a plastic sealable bag. I wouldnt keep them longer than 4 to 6 weeks but they are perfect up to this time, my problem is that my neighbours love them as well, frozen or not.

ComfortKid

John T Carroll wrote:

I think "whole" is probably correct but I never do it this way. I catch them and any mackerel that i freeze is towards the end of the summer or right up to October. I clean them out where I catch them, obviously after removing head & tail, I like to fry/grill the mackerel on the bone so I fillet some and leave some on the bone and put about 4 (enough for one meal) in a plastic sealable bag. I wouldnt keep them longer than 4 to 6 weeks but they are perfect up to this time, my problem is that my neighbours love them as well, frozen or not.

That's what I did. Took off the head and tail, took out the spine and froze them in 4s in sealed bags. I'll have them ate by Christmas, they'll be good until then. I was just wondering if it makes a difference to taste if they are frozen whole, as a fella I met below said he freezes them whole, and I often see whole fish frozen at the mongers.

So basically, it doesn't really make a difference?

shocker95

whats the best spot for macks around cork lads ? was going to go down to ballycotton today but don't want to go all the way down there to catch nothing. looking for a decent spot

Bio Mech

I would freeze fillets for human consumption. Or at least gutted. The digestive tract of mackerel is delicate and the damage caused by freezing/thawing could cause rupture and let the contents of the stomach or intestines leak into the edible flesh as the fish thaws. For bait I freeze them whole.

I freeze them by putting them in Ziploc bags under water. That is put the fish in an open Ziploc bag and then slowly lower/push the bag bottom fish down into the water until the zip part is just at the water line. The water pressure pushes all the air out of the bag and you get a vaccum sealer type effect. The less air in there the less freezer burn you will get and the better quality the fish will be when you thaw it.

rubbledoubledo

shocker95 wrote: »

whats the best spot for macks around cork lads ? was going to go down to ballycotton today but don't want to go all the way down there to catch nothing. looking for a decent spot

Hi
Im in the same situation.
An hour from Cork, on the Limerick side.
Went to Ballycotton a few times, but if nothing caught, a long journey for nothing.

I switched to Cobh alot nearer to Cork.
Caught a few there last year.
Grand if your living near, could go out every evening.

Waiting to hear feed back now from those spots, if any thing being caught

ComfortKid

rubbledoubledo wrote:

Hi Im in the same situation. An hour from Cork, on the Limerick side. Went to Ballycotton a few times, but if nothing caught, a long journey for nothing.

An hour from Cork on the Limerick side is practically Limerick isn't it. You could get to Kilkee in under 2 hours where you're guaranteed to catch some.

ronnie3585

I was swimming along the prom in Salthill last night and the place was full of sprats. Didn't see anyone fishing but it's always a good sing to see the sprats, first time seeing them in such large numbers all year.

hiujn

Fished the pier in bundoran this evening an hour before high tide nothin but tiny pollack i might try clogherhead before the end of the week.

Czhornet

Nothing in Black head yesterday evening. nobody was catching anything

pullandbang

Spent yesterday out around Ireland's Eye again on the kayak and plenty of macks about. No huge shoals so it wasn't a constant string of full lines but the fish were certainly bigger. Not sure about the crowds on the piers but the boaters were certainly hauling them in. Seals behind the island had a field day stripping lines. I must have lost a dozen fish to them. Oh, and I caught a seagull too :-)

catastrophy

Sporadic catches on the se corner for the last week or so. The settled weather had improved catch rates no end.

tomwbee

Plenty of people out fishing off the pier in Spiddal, only saw 1 fish caught.

squidly

plenty of mackerel in kinsale this evening

dhega2011

squidly wrote: »

plenty of mackerel in kinsale this evening

We're they being caught off the bridge?

John T Carroll

pullandbang wrote: »

Spent yesterday out around Ireland's Eye again on the kayak and plenty of macks about. No huge shoals so it wasn't a constant string of full lines but the fish were certainly bigger. Not sure about the crowds on the piers but the boaters were certainly hauling them in. Seals behind the island had a field day stripping lines. I must have lost a dozen fish to them. Oh, and I caught a seagull too :-)

How did you fit the seagull in the frying pan??.

ComfortKid

John T Carroll wrote:

How did you fit the seagull in the frying pan??.

Nicer roasted with a bit of garlic and herbs ;-)

squidly

dhega2011 wrote: »

We're they being caught off the bridge?

not sure, i was fishing off rocks at oysterhaven,lads getting them around nohoval too apparently

airbuspilot

Does anyone know if the mackeral are biting in Cork espeicaly in Youghal recently?

John T Carroll

airbuspilot wrote: »

Does anyone know if the mackeral are biting in Cork espeicaly in Youghal recently?

Dont know but may friend got lots of them in Ardmore two nights ago but he said only in one hour before high tide, not one after that.

hiujn

Nothing happening at clogherhead 6 seals sitting in the bay saw a few sprats around the boats was talkin to a lad. He was there last week there was 12 caught between maybe 20 anglers very poor

dodderangler

A few been caught on east pier in DL yesterday but not loads

rubbledoubledo

Any thing caught around Cork the weekend

ComfortKid

I think the only way we will know is to wet our lines. They seem to be plentiful one day and nothing the next

rubbledoubledo

Thinking the same myself