After the first run it's then a simple matter to wind on five clicks or even six if the fish is obviously beaten. Mackerel on baits are a different proposition to lures. You don't have the opportunity to cover as much territory looking for fish as you do trolling or drifting and casting lures. Although it is possible to troll baits the rigging technique takes a great deal of practice and boat spend is limited. The other popular alternative is to troll lures until fish are located.
Frozen pilchard is streets ahead in popularity as mack bait.
This is one of the few areas in which I noticed any real difference in the preferences of commercial against sport fishos. The pros, when bait fishing, use pilchard and gar almost exclusively and often go to the trouble of salting their bait. The brilliant silver, wolf-fanged enticer of mackerel isn't found much south of Brisbane, I mention it only because of its reputation as a deadly bait for all pelagics. Those who have the experience even claim billfish as a notch in the butt of the wolf herring. So if you are planning a trip north with game fish in mind, familiarise yourself with this bright-chrome bait fish and if you find it try it.