First, let's set out some rules for mackerel fishing locations. Being a highly mobile migratory fish, mackerel like deeper water and any beach, jetty, pier or breakwater that gives you access to deep water is a great choice, particularly if it's in open ocean.
You wouldn't, for example, be advised to target mackerel inside a harbour or inland estuary, but a pier or rocky point jutting out into the wide blue yonder is a perfect spot. Clear blue water is also preferred over anything muddy or sandy.
Proximity to bait fish is also important. You'll often get a clue that mackerel are on the hunt by seeing scores of small fish scatter on the surface as they're chased to the surface by hungry shoals. Observing things like this and looking to find deeper water with some current are also good ways of increasing your chances of success.
Now, to put the theory into practice, let's look at an example of a great mackerel fishing location in the UK: Chesil Beach in Dorset. It is probably the most prolific mackerel fishing venue in the UK, and examining why will help you identify any of your local hot spots.
Made entirely of pebbles (18 billion apparently!) and stretching from Portland to West Bay, Chesil is a steeply shelving venue with deep water close in. This scenario is perfect for finding dense shoals of bait fish and mackerel near to shore – and ideal for pleasure anglers who can still catch fish regularly without the need for extreme casting.
Our expert Matt Sparkes gives this advice: "Mackerel are found along the whole coastline of the UK, where colossal shoals mean bumper hauls are a possibility. There is the chance of a full string of fish on nearly every cast – especially on a rising tide.
"The most effective way of catching mackerel here is to use a string of lures or feathers. These basic lures are retrieved erratically through the water, mimicking small baitfish such as sand eels, which are the staple diet of mackerel. Plain white through to vivid day-glo orange colors work best here. Fancier brands score well, too, with strips of glittery tinsel and silver reflector strips designed to glint and flash through the water."