First Metro Mackerel for the season, and a bonus Pinky.

With the weather forecast looking good and indicating light winds Greg and I decided to set off to our favorite Metro Mackerel spot. We wanted to see if the Mackerel had arrived yet despite it being early in the season. The morning dawned dull and overcast but with the promised light winds and we made good time on the boat trip out. We arrived at our chosen location and anchored the boat in the sand gutter. On entering the water we discovered it was a little dirty with suspended particles but we could at least make out the bottom at 60ft. Greg was first in as I was sorting out my cameras and as I entered the water he was swimming back to the boat having already secured a Mackerel.

We used a lot of burley over the next few hours drifting back with it in the light current but we didnt see any more Mackerel. Then on one drift I noticed a large Yellowtail Kingfish in the burley trail and dived to film it when out of the haze I noticed a Mackerel approaching from behind the Kingfish. Switching my attention to the Mackerel I lined up and waited for it to pass before pulling the trigger. I landed a good holding shot mid-body angling forward and exiting next to the far-side pectoral fin. After a short fight I had the fish in the boat and cooling under wet hessian bags.

We continued diving until we ran out of burley and on the last drift our persistence paid off, I spotted a fish that I thought was a large Trevalley down near the bottom. When I dived on the fish I discovered it was a good sized Pink Snapper, a prize fish and one I had yet to spear. I followed the fish as it ate some pieces of burley, I had to wait twice for my shot once to let a shark pass and then to let the fish clear a craypot line. Once the fish had cleared the line I took my shot, mindful that the shark would try and take my fish I aimed for the fishes spine and managed to land my shot as planned. With the Snapper immobilized the shark paid little attention to the fish other than one halfhearted look.

Having exhausted our burley and securing a mackerel each and a Pink Snapper for me we decided to call it a day and head home. The trip home was quite relaxing as we skimmed across the small chop, satisfied we had fish for a few meals and knowing that the Mackerel had arrived this early in the season.