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How to catch Atlantic chub mackerel

Scomber colias Gmelin, 1789

About Atlantic chub mackerel fishing

The Atlantic chub mackerel is a streamlined pelagic fish belonging to the family Scombridae, distinguished by its deeply forked tail, tiny scales, and distinctive silvery body marked with dark oblique zigzagging lines above and a paler, spotted belly. Growing up to 55 cm in maximum length and typically encountered around 30 cm, this schooling species inhabits brackish and saltwater environments from surface waters down to 200 metres. It feeds primarily on zooplankton, small crustaceans, cephalopods, and small pelagic fish. Spawning occurs during the early months of the year, and the species is widely distributed across temperate and subtropical marine waters, functioning as a vital forage fish in coastal and neritic ecosystems.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    30 cm

  • Market value

    Very high

  • Habitat

    Brackish, Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Atlantic Chub Mackerel

Atlantic chub mackerel

Wavy dorsal bars

Dark undulating lines along the back distinguish the mackerel pattern.

Spotted lower flank

Irregular dark spots and mottling spread across the lower silvery sides.

Dorsal finlets

Small separate finlets behind the second dorsal fin identify scombrids.

Atlantic chub mackerel fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    30 cm (max 55 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.3 kg (max 1.4 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    13.9–27.3 °C

  • Depth

    0–200 m

  • Longevity

    7 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    33.3

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Peak

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Active

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Active

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Peak

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Atlantic chub mackerel

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Atlantic chub mackerel

Tips for catching Atlantic chub mackerel

Anglers targeting the Atlantic chub mackerel find the best sport during the warmer months when large schools move into coastal and neritic waters to feed actively near the surface. Early morning and late afternoon offer the finest catch rates as schools rise to hunt zooplankton and small baitfish close to harbours, piers, and rocky points. Light spinning gear outfitted with small metallic spoons, reflective jigs, or feathered sabiki rigs yields excellent results when cast into surface feeding boils and retrieved briskly. Alternatively, float fishing with strips of sardine or small pieces of marine worm suspended at mid-depths around structured coastal zones provides a reliable presentation for securing multiple fish from passing schools.

Other names for Atlantic chub mackerel

Local and alternate names anglers use for Atlantic chub mackerel.

  • Atlantic chub mackerel

Best equipment to catch Atlantic chub mackerel

Compare fishing methods for Atlantic chub mackerel — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.3 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Atlantic chub mackerel

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

How Atlantic chub mackerel migrates — Oceanodromous

Migrates within the sea between spawning, nursery and feeding grounds, and never enters fresh water. Follow its seasonal shifts along the coast and offshore.

How Atlantic chub mackerel migrates — Oceanodromous 1. Eggs: Laid on the spawning grounds. 2. Larvae: Drift with the currents to the nursery grounds. 3. Juveniles: Grow up in sheltered nursery waters. 4. Adults: Range widely over the feeding grounds. 5. Spawners: Return to the spawning grounds each season.
Spawning grounds Nursery grounds Feeding grounds

1 Eggs

Spawning grounds

Laid on the spawning grounds.

2 Larvae

→ Nursery grounds

Drift with the currents to the nursery grounds.

3 Juveniles

Nursery grounds

Grow up in sheltered nursery waters.

4 Adults

Feeding grounds

Range widely over the feeding grounds.

5 Spawners

→ Spawning grounds

Return to the spawning grounds each season.

It stays in the sea and never runs up into fresh water.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Atlantic chub mackerel

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Hunts

    Dawn · Dusk

Where Atlantic chub mackerel lives

Pelagic over the continental shelf — coastal open water, not the deep ocean.

Habitats
Brackish, Saltwater
Depth zone
Epipelagic, Mesopelagic
0–200 m
Water column
Open water
Does not use the seabed

Where this species lives