How to Catch Bigger Mackerel: A Beginner and Family Guide

By Monty · Reviewed by Andy · Published 4 October 2026

Mackerel
Float fishing
Feathering
Lure fishing
Shore
Harbour or pier
Beach
Rock marks
Boat
Beginner
Improver
Summer
Autumn

Most mackerel caught from UK shores are modest, but with a few simple changes you can improve your chances of hooking the bigger fish in a shoal. This guide covers where and when to look, which methods tend to pick out larger mackerel, and how to keep the trip safe and fun for the whole family.

Who it suits: Beginners, families and junior anglers who have caught a few mackerel already, or are about to try, and want to target better-sized fish from piers, harbours, rocks, beaches or a boat. Most of it also suits improvers who usually fish with strings of feathers and want to try something more selective.
Conditions: Mackerel are mainly a warmer-months fish around the UK, usually arriving inshore in late spring or summer and often staying into autumn, though timing varies a lot by region and year. Deeper water close to the shore, moving tide and calm to moderate seas are generally helpful. Early morning and evening are often productive. Always check the local tide times and marine forecast before you go, and avoid exposed rocks, piers and harbour walls in rough weather or big swells.

What you need

A checklist to pack before you go. Tackle recommendations are editorial — we don't sell anything yet.

Essential

Spinning or light bass-style rodA rod of around 8–10 ft suits most pier and shore fishing and is easier for children to handle than a long beach rod.Alternatives: A light boat rod if fishing from a boat.
Fixed-spool reelRinse in fresh water after each trip to stop salt damage.Alternatives: A small multiplier reel for boat fishing.
Main lineChoose a strength that suits your rod and casting weight; ask an experienced angler if unsure.Alternatives: Braid with a mono leader for improvers.
Short string of mackerel feathers (about 3 hooks)Fewer, larger hooks help avoid filling every hook with small fish and reduce tangles.Alternatives: Sabiki-style rigs for smaller baitfish.
Casting weightsNeeded with feathers. Pick a weight your rod is rated to cast.Alternatives: None.
Pliers or disgorgerFor removing hooks safely, especially when fish are on a string of feathers.Alternatives: Forceps.
Lifejacket or buoyancy aidStrongly advised for children near deep water and essential on boats and rocks.Alternatives: None.
Polarised sunglasses and hatProtects eyes from flying hooks and sun glare.Alternatives: Safety glasses.
Warm, waterproof layers and grippy footwearWeather on the coast changes quickly and wet surfaces are slippery.Alternatives: None.
Hand wipes and a small first aid kitFor hook pricks and cuts.Alternatives: None.

Useful extras

Small casting metal luresA single hook lure helps you target fish one at a time and work different depths.Alternatives: Small spinners or slim spoons.
Float, small weights and hooksFor float fishing a strip of mackerel bait.Alternatives: A ready-made float rig.
Mackerel strip baitCut from a fish you have caught, or frozen bait if you have none.Alternatives: Small fish strips or fresh sandeel where available.
Drop netUseful on high piers and harbour walls so you do not swing fish up and risk losing them.Alternatives: A long-handled landing net on lower platforms.
Bait knife and boardAn adult should handle the knife or supervise closely.Alternatives: Pre-cut bait.
Cool bag and bucketKeeps any fish you keep fresh.Alternatives: Ice packs in a rucksack.

What counts as a big mackerel?

Mackerel are small fish compared with many sea species. Most shore-caught mackerel are well under a couple of pounds, and plenty are a good deal smaller. A fish that feels heavy in the hand, has a thick back and fills a large adult's hand is a good one to be proud of.

So it helps to set realistic hopes. You are not looking for a monster. You are looking to catch the better fish in the shoal, more often. That is a great goal for a family trip.

Who this guide suits

Families and junior anglers who want to go one step beyond catching lots of small mackerel.
Beginners who have tried feathers and want to learn a more careful, choosy way to fish.
Anyone fishing from piers, harbours, rock marks, beaches or a charter boat in UK waters.

When and where to look

Time of year

Mackerel usually move inshore around the UK as the sea warms up. Many anglers find that the later part of the season can bring better-sized fish, but this varies from place to place and year to year. Ask at local clubs or talk to other anglers on the pier to learn what is normal where you are.

Time of day

Dawn and dusk are often good. Mackerel can feed close to the surface in low light. During bright middle-of-the-day sun they may sit deeper.

Places to try

Deep-water piers and harbour walls where you can reach depth without a long cast.
Rock marks with deep water close in. Only fish these with an adult and in calm seas.
Steep beaches where deep water comes close to the shore.
Boats, where you can drift over deeper ground and follow the shoals.

Signs that fish are about

Diving seabirds such as gannets or gulls working one spot.
Small fish (whitebait or sandeels) skipping out of the water.
Patches of nervous or splashing water.
Other anglers catching.

Methods that help pick out bigger fish

Method	Why it can help	Best for
Feathering with fewer, larger hooks	Still finds the shoal fast, but less likely to fill every hook with tiddlers	Locating fish, piers, boats
Spinning with a small metal lure	One hook, one fish, and you can work different depths	Piers, rocks, beaches
Float fishing with a mackerel strip	A slow, natural bait that bigger fish may take confidently	Harbours, piers, calmer spots

Feathering, but choosier

Strings of feathers are brilliant for finding mackerel. To lean towards better fish:

Use a string with fewer hooks, such as three instead of six.
Choose slightly larger feathers or lures over very tiny ones.
Let the weight sink right down before you start retrieving. Bigger fish are often deeper in the shoal.
Count the weight down (one, two, three...) and note which count brings the best fish, then repeat it.

Spinning with a metal lure

Tie on a small casting metal of a sensible weight for your rod.
Cast out and count it down to different depths on each cast.
Reel back steadily, with the odd twitch or pause.
When you catch a good fish, repeat the same count and speed.

This is a lovely way for a young angler to learn lure fishing, because every bite comes on one hook and you feel it clearly.

Float fishing with a strip of mackerel

Once you have caught one mackerel, a thin strip cut from its side makes good bait.

Set a float so the bait hangs a few feet down, then try deeper if nothing happens.
Hook a thin, long strip of mackerel once through the end so it flutters.
Cast out gently and watch the float.
When the float dips or moves away, wind down and lift the rod firmly.

This method is slower, but it can also attract other species such as garfish.

Step by step: a family session for better mackerel

Check before you go. Look at the tide times, marine forecast and any local rules for the place you plan to fish.
Pick a safe, deep spot. A pier or harbour wall with railings is ideal for children.
Find the fish first. Start with a short string of feathers to see if mackerel are there and at what depth.
Switch to something more selective. Once you know where they are, try a single metal lure or a float-fished strip.
Fish the right depth. Keep counting down and note what works.
Play fish gently. Mackerel have soft mouths. Keep a steady bend in the rod and do not yank.
Land fish safely. Swing small fish in carefully, or use a drop net from a high pier.
Decide what to keep. Only keep what you will eat, and follow local rules. Return the rest quickly with wet hands.
Pack up tidy. Take all line, hooks and litter home.

If it isn't working

Only catching small fish? Try fewer, larger hooks or a single lure, and fish deeper.
No bites at all? The shoal may have moved. Watch for birds, try a different depth, or come back at dawn or dusk.
Fish keep falling off? Ease off the pressure and keep the line tight rather than pulling hard.
Tangles every cast? Use a shorter string of feathers and cast more smoothly. Children often do better with a single lure.
Very quiet day? It may be too early or late in the season locally. Ask other anglers or a local club.

Looking after your catch and the fish stocks

Kill any fish you keep quickly and humanely, and keep it cool.
Do not take more than you need. Mackerel are a popular species and some areas have rules about size and numbers. Check the current local regulations before you go.
Handle fish you are returning gently, with wet hands, and put them back quickly.

Stay safe

Always check the tide times and marine forecast before you go, and do not fish exposed piers, rocks or harbour walls in rough weather or big swells.
Children should be supervised by an adult at all times near water, and should wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid where there is deep water or no railings.
Strings of feathers have several sharp hooks. Check behind you before every cast and keep others well back.
Wear glasses or sunglasses to protect eyes from hooks and weights.
Rock marks can be slippery and cut off by rising tide. Only fish them with an experienced adult, in calm conditions, with a clear way back.
Handle mackerel with feathers still attached carefully; a wriggling fish can drive a spare hook into a hand.
Let an adult use or closely supervise any knife used for cutting bait.
Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back, and carry a charged phone.
Take all line, hooks and litter home to protect birds and wildlife.

Questions people ask

How big do mackerel get around the UK?

Most shore-caught mackerel are fairly small, and anything that feels thick and heavy is a good fish. Exact typical and record sizes should be checked with a reliable angling source, but the aim here is simply to catch the better fish in a shoal more often.

Do bigger mackerel swim deeper?

Many anglers find that better fish often sit lower in the shoal than the small ones near the surface. Counting your lure or feathers down to different depths is the easiest way to test this on the day.

Are feathers or a single lure better for big mackerel?

Feathers are best for finding the shoal quickly. Once you have found them, a single lure or float-fished strip of mackerel lets you be more selective and is easier for children to manage.

Can I keep every mackerel I catch?

Only keep what you will eat, and check the current local rules on size and numbers before you go. Return fish you do not need quickly and gently.

What time of year is best?

Mackerel are mainly a summer and autumn fish around the UK, but timing varies by region. Local anglers and clubs are the best guide to when they turn up near you.

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