"SCREEEEEEEECH!!!!!!" The Shimano TLD15 ratchet sounded as line peeled through the rod guides, begging for attention. I scrambled onto my feet from my hot afternoon nap, instantly awake from any signs of sleepiness. The rod shook violently and just when I was to give a hard strike to set the hook, the line stopped and went limp. Worried that the fish might have made a sudden about turn, I reeled in as fast as possible, hoping to regain the tension earlier. Unfortunately for me, the fish had already parted company and I reeled in a battered kembung (mackerel) bait instead of a nice Spanish Mackerel. "Aiyah -Told you to strike but you took your own sweet time!", Uncle Thomas' remark added to the disappointment.

This is a common occurence when fishing for Spanish Mackerel. Many fishes are lost either with pre-mature hook-setting or delayed strikes. Some people prefer to count to 5 then set the hook while others strike instantly when the ratchet sounds. Of course, each method's success also relies on other factors such as the position in which the fish took the bait, number of hooks on the bait and so on. One piece of advice given to me before was to wait until the mackerel stops running with the bait. Then strike. The reason being that the Spanish Mackerel has just merely held on to the bait but has not actually swallowed it. When it stops, it is actually swallowing the bait, hence, striking then would result in a positive hook-up. Then again, this is one of the many styles catching the Spanish Mackerel.

The Spanish Mackerel, known as Tenggiri by the local anglers is usually found in very clear waters, following packs of baitfish such as herring (tamban), mackerel (kembung) and yellowtail scads (selar). They are usually found hanging around wrecks and reef where the baitfish seek refuge. An average West Peninsular Malaysian Spanish Mackerel will weigh around 6 - 8 kg. However, specimens up to 20 kgs have known to be landed. These giants have moss-like growth on their backs, showing their age.

Spanish Mackerel are an excellent sportfish capable of high speed runs and spooling unprepared anglers with 'pay-pond fishing' equipment. However, after several long runs, they can be easily tamed and brought to the boatside to be gaffed or tailed. The bigger specimens are the ones that require more time to land as they usually have some more 'kick' in them when they see the boat.

Anglers on the Northern West Coast usually target Spaniards with medium 20lb outfits. A reel with big line capacity loaded with sufficient line should suffice, as these fishes take out lots of line and believe me, when they shoot off, they REALLY shoot off. Make sure the drag is not set too tight as an instant break-off can be very real. I usually fish with a Shimano TLD15 loaded with 20lb line but for more thrills, one can try fishing with a Shimano Calcutta on a light Loomis.

Baits can be live or dead with live kembung and tamban being the best baits. Live baits are hooked on the back with two 3/0 hook with enough space in between for the fish to swim freely. As for dead baits, the bait should be positioned to face the angler when set. The first hook should be embedded in the bait's body and the second one hooked to close the bait's mouth. This is to stop the bait from spinning in the current. The use of wire is essential as Spaniards have sharp teeth. They can easily bite through the thickest mono. The bait is then set a distance away from the boat with a balloon or piece of floating styrofoam.

Trolling also is a very productive method of catching Spaniards. Deep diving minnow lures with a tight wiggling action is the best. I have found the Rapala CD18 Redhead (nicknamed 'Ultraman') to be extremely effective. There is no need to strike hard when trolling as the fish will usually hook themselves.

Spanish Mackerel are a delicacy especially for Assam Curry. They have a very soft texture and is sometimes used for fishballs. They fetch a high price in the local market, sometimes as much as RM13 per kilo.

Tan's Catch of the Day

Skipper 'Ah Boy' fighting a Spaniard on a Penn 10 and light 6ft Uglystick