Hooking on mackerel strips?

The problem i have is im not sure which is the best way to cut the mackerel! Do i cut the strips from head to tail or short ways top to bottom? When i get a nice strip it always seems to crumble away and cant get a decent stip for the hook.

Im using frozen mack so could you tell me is there a knack to it or a way of defrosting it to stop it just breaking up. I use elastic but although im no expert as you can probably tell :D i try to make the bait as presentable as possible. I have being getting the fish but i go through a lot of mackerel and most seems to go to waist with the way that i use it. Cheers guys

The problem i have is im not sure which is the best way to cut the mackerel! Do i cut the strips from head to tail or short ways top to bottom? When i get a nice strip it always seems to crumble away and cant get a decent stip for the hook.

Im using frozen mack so could you tell me is there a knack to it or a way of defrosting it to stop it just breaking up. I use elastic but although im no expert as you can probably tell :D i try to make the bait as presentable as possible. I have being getting the fish but i go through a lot of mackerel and most seems to go to waist with the way that i use it. Cheers guys

It sounds like bad frozen fish that you're using, is there no way of getting some good ammo bait?
Normally it depends on what I'm doing with it and what size of bait I'm presenting as to what way I cut it.
Generally though, lengthways in half and then either halve them again for largish baits or for smaller tipping baits then small strips of that.
But it honestly sounds like your bait isn't very good.
One tip to stop it breaking up so badly would be to turn the skin to the outside and lash a bit of elastic around like a sausage shape to present the skin on the outside which will make it a bit tougher and keep the soft flesh protected inside and then put it on your pennel and lash it on with a bit more elastic.

The problem i have is im not sure which is the best way to cut the mackerel! Do i cut the strips from head to tail or short ways top to bottom? When i get a nice strip it always seems to crumble away and cant get a decent stip for the hook.

Im using frozen mack so could you tell me is there a knack to it or a way of defrosting it to stop it just breaking up. I use elastic but although im no expert as you can probably tell :D i try to make the bait as presentable as possible. I have being getting the fish but i go through a lot of mackerel and most seems to go to waist with the way that i use it. Cheers guys

A good trick is to fillet the fish when frozen then slice the fillet into 1" strips from spine to belly (take the silver belly off first if you like) then while still frozen stab the skin side with your knife then you have loads ready to hook up, stick the hook through the hole and take it out by piercing the skin.....the least handling you do the better with the thawed out fish and with the 'in hole' all ready for the hook there is less mauling and mushing of the bait.

cheers guys i use frozen bait from tackle shop, so cant tell whether its good or not till im out fishing. But will give the advice a go and see how i fair. Will definately try the frozen idea seems pretty simple when you think about it :oops:

Bouncer,
When looking at the bait in the tackle shop see if there is much blood in the packet. If there is blood around the bait it probably means the bait has at least semi-thawed out and then been refrozen. If that's the case it will probably be mush when you try to fish with it.
Derek

that is one of the first rules of bait - make sure no blood is in the pack

the advice in the previous posts it very good

especially the filleting while frozen - at least if it isnt great you will get it on the hook with minimal contact after that

and obviously if you can get fresh mack in a local shop - do so

ask for whole mack if they have it - and make sure the eye is black not cloudy and opaque (youll find it hard enough to get whole for this reason :? )

have you tried getting fresh mack from tesco or supervalue?

if the frozen mackerel fillets have a yellow colour, it means they have defrosted and been refrozen, not good for fishing, not always the shops fault can happen in transport