Fast fish, shiny lures, fun challenge—how to catch Spanish like a pro from the surf, pier, or boat.
Spanish mackerel are one of the most fun and electrifying saltwater catches off Topsail Island. When they’re in, you’ll see them ripping through bait schools in the surf or around the pier, smashing spoons and plugs like a machine. If you’re headed to Topsail with a rod in hand, here’s how to put yourself in position to experience one of in my opinion the most fun fish to battle in the area.
What Spanish Mackerel Are Like
Spanish mackerel are sleek, fast-moving schooling fish with bright silvery bodies and golden‑yellow spots. Most catches in North Carolina waters are between 14–18 inches, weighing 1–3 pounds, though they can grow larger—up to around 37 inches and ~12 pounds in rare cases.
Their migration routes bring them north into North Carolina waters in spring and early summer and then south again in fall as waters cool.
Spanish mackerel feed primarily on small baitfish like anchovies, sardines, threadfin herring, and silversides, and will also eat shrimp and squid. Their diet explains why bright, shiny lures and fast retrieves work so well—these fish see movement and react.
When to Target Them (Season & Time of Day)
Best Time of Year
- Late Spring – Early Summer: This is your sweet spot. Water warms and bait moves into the shallows, bringing Spanish mackerel with it. They’ll show up in numbers from about April through June along the Southeast NC coast.
- Summer & Into Fall: You can still find schools later in summer and early fall; they’ll hold around structure and inlets if baitfish are plentiful.
There is no closed season for Spanish mackerel in NC, so they’re technically open year‑round, but peak action correlates with bait and migrations.
Time of Day
Spanish mackerel often feed most actively at dawn and dusk when baitfish are on the move, but they’ll bite throughout daylight hours—especially when surface activity or bird life indicates feeding fish.
Regulations You Need to Know
Before you cast, make sure you’re legal:
- Minimum size: 12 inches fork length.
- Daily bag limit: 15 per person.
- No closed season.
- You must have a valid NC Coastal Recreational Fishing License to fish coastal waters.
- Piers sell daily, weekly, or seasonal passes to fish from the structure, no state license is required.
These regs apply whether you’re fishing from the surf, a pier, a kayak, or boat.
Gear & Tackle That Gets Bites
Rods & Reels
- Spinning rig: 7–8 ft medium rod with 15–30 lb braided line is a great all‑around choice.
Lines & Leaders
- Braid: 15–30 lb braided main line for strength and sensitivity.
- Leader: Use a fluorocarbon (40 lb) leader. These fish have amazing sight and can strike a lure at close to 40 mph. Break offs at the bite are to be expected.
Lures & Baits
Spanish mackerel are visual predators—shiny, flashy lures are key. Here are the top proven options:
- Metal spoons: Silver, gold, or reflective finishes work great.
- Got‑Cha plugs and small jigs: Mimic baitfish and trigger fast strikes. Pro tip- don’t get crazy with colors and sizes, all white or white with an orange head in 1 oz. is all that is needed. I would rather have multiple of what works than a variety that won’t produce.
- “Mackerel Tree” or “Straw Rig”. These are rigs with 4 shiny hooks covered in straws or sparkle. A weight at the base with a treble hook is also incorporated and used with a jigging retrieve.
Where to Catch Spanish Mackerel at Topsail
1. Surf Zone
Spanish often cruise the surf near Topsail beaches when baitfish wash in close. Cast metal spoons and plugs out into breaking water and retrieve fast—these fish chase and strike movement. Getting out just beyond the breaking waves is ideal.
Tips:
- Fish near clean troughs or sandbars where bait concentrates.
- Early morning or evening can light up the bite.
2. Piers (Best Opportunity)
Surf City Pier and other local piers are magnets for mackerel in season. The structure attracts baitfish, and Spanish will cruise the edges, ready to slurp down anything shiny that comes by. Target these fish near the end of the pier well past the break zone.
Tactics:
- Cast spoons or plugs out and retrieve as fast as your arms can handle. These fish like speed and flash. This is not finesse fishing.
- Pro tip – fish the incoming run….. What that means is in spring and early summer (while they run south to north) fish on the southern side of the pier, fall (while they run north to south) fish on the northern side. Spanish mackerel will not swim under the pier on their run. So, you must fish them from the side they approach, or you will not receive a single strike.
3. Inlets & Nearshore
Around New River Inlet and other passes, tidal movement funnels bait and predators alike. When currents run, Spanish can be thick in these zones. A boat, kayak, or float rig allowed to drift with small live bait or planers can be deadly.
Retrieval Style & Tactics That Work
Spanish mackerel are predators of movement and flash. Here’s how to present your lure:
- Fast Retrieve: Cast a small spoon and reel in quickly, creating flash and vibration.
- Stop‑and‑Go: On calm days, a short pause then a quick rip can trigger reaction strikes. Gotcha plugs work wonders with this retrieve. Constantly ripping this plug like a jerk bait is a major tactic to catch these fish.
- Keep plugs, spoons, and trees at the surface. Spanish mackerel are surface feeders. Your strike possibility declines as you go deeper. I like to watch my plug or spoon come in from the pier and you will learn to pickup the flashes that indicate an attempted strike.
Spanish Mackerel Behavior & How They Travel
Spanish mackerel are highly migratory and schooling fish:
- They move north in spring and into summer waters following warming temperatures and baitfish, often arriving in North Carolina waters in early spring.
- They travel in tight schools—once you find one, you’ll often hook several fish in quick succession.
- Mackerel feed most aggressively when baitfish are concentrated by structure, tides, or surface conditions.
Size, Limits, and Sticky Situations
Most Spanish you catch around Topsail will be in the 1–3 lb range, typically 14–18 inches long. A good-sized fish for a citation is 6+ pounds, and North Carolina awards Outstanding Catch citations for these larger fish.
Remember the minimum size limit (12 inches fork length) and daily bag limit (15 per person) if you intend to keep fish to eat. No closed season means you can fish year‑round, but timing your trip for late spring and early summer gives you the best odds at heavy schooling action.
What Spanish Mackerel Feed On
Their main diet is:
- Threadfin herring
- Anchovies
- Sardines
- Small baitfish
- Shrimp and squid (occasionally)
Because of this, anything that mimics the flash and size of small baitfish—especially shiny metals with a quick retrieve—is deadly effective.
Final Words for Topsail Anglers
Spanish mackerel fishing at Topsail Island is fast, exciting, and dynamic. Whether you’re tossing spoons off the beach, casting from a pier, or running a boat near inlet structure, these fish reward locating bait, choosing the right shine, and keeping the lure moving.
Plan your trip around late spring to early summer, use flashy lures and planers, and look for bait schools and birds working the water. With a bit of patience and the right tactics, you’ll be hooked into Spanish mackerel after Spanish mackerel—sometimes all day long.