Species
Spanish Mackerel Fishing Charters
Spanish mackerel are fast schooling fish of nearshore water and beaches, often caught on light tackle. 123 captains and guides in 36 towns list spanish mackerel. Here is where, and the months it is in season where we have a published calendar.
Key facts
About the spanish mackerel
A slim, fast fish with a greenish back, silver sides and rows of yellow to golden oval spots; the front of the first dorsal fin is black. Its lateral line slopes gently toward the tail, unlike king mackerel, whose lateral line drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; cero mackerel have yellow-gold streaks as well as spots.
- Scientific name
- Scomberomorus maculatus
- Also called
- Atlantic Spanish mackerel, bay mackerel, spotted mackerel
- Family
- Mackerel and tuna family (Scombridae)
- Typical catch
- 14 to 18 inches and 1 to 3 pounds
- How big they get
- Up to 37 inches and 12 pounds (NC Division of Marine Fisheries); NOAA says they grow to about 13 pounds
- Where they live
- Atlantic coast and the Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico). Atlantic fish winter off Florida, reach North Carolina by early April and New York by June, then head south in fall; Gulf fish spend summer in the northern Gulf.
- Habitat
- Mostly open water near the coast, sometimes over deep grass beds, reefs and shallow estuaries; in summer they may move into sounds and river mouths. They prefer water warmer than 68°F and travel in large, fast schools.
- Diet
- Small schooling fish such as herring, menhaden, sardines, mullet, needlefish, anchovies and silversides, plus some shrimp, crabs and squid.
- Lifespan
- Can live up to 12 years
- On the table
- Rich, pronounced flavor that gets milder if the dark band of meat along the midline is trimmed away; flaky and moist, off-white to beige when cooked.
Where
Where to catch spanish mackerel with a charter
Counts are captains who list spanish mackerel, as of October 2026. Months come from the state wildlife agency or local captains’ published calendars where we have one; seasons and limits change, so check current rules.
Before you go
What to know about spanish mackerel fishing
Things to know
- Seasonal migrant: follows warm water north along the Atlantic coast in spring and back south in fall.
- Spawns April through September off the Carolinas and Virginia and in the eastern Gulf; reaches maturity around age 2.
- Federally managed by NOAA Fisheries and the regional fishery councils under the Coastal Migratory Pelagic plan, with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission coordinating state waters; check your state agency for current size and bag limits.
- NOAA reports the South Atlantic and Gulf stocks are not overfished and not subject to overfishing (2023 assessments).
- Anglers also use Spanish mackerel as bait for big game fish.
How charters catch them
- Casting or fast-trolling small, shiny metal lures and jigs
- Fishing from piers and the surf
- Boat fishing along the coast where schools are feeding
- Slow-trolling live bait for king mackerel, which often turns up larger Spanish mackerel
Related fish
Fish caught on the same kind of trip
Questions
Spanish Mackerel questions
How do I tell a Spanish mackerel from a small king mackerel?
Spanish mackerel have yellow-gold spots and a black patch at the front of the first dorsal fin, and their lateral line slopes gently to the tail. A king mackerel's lateral line drops sharply below the second dorsal fin.
Are Spanish mackerel good to eat?
NOAA describes the meat as rich and moist with a pronounced flavor. Trimming the dark strip of meat along the side makes it milder.
When can I catch Spanish mackerel?
It depends on the coast. Atlantic fish winter off Florida and move north from spring into summer, reaching North Carolina by April and New York by June, then return south in fall.
Facts on this page come from official fisheries and wildlife sources, checked October 2026:
Size and bag limits and seasons change and differ by state. Check the state agency before you keep a fish.
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