Mackerel on bite, so time to head offshore

THE mackerel are coming! Grab your mates, a box of pilchards or your favourite lures and head out literally anywhere offshore in the coming months and you’ll be among the macks.

For the best tips on how and where – read Eddie’s column just over to the right of this column.

For the best advice on which boat, visit Grant at Townsville Marine. Grant has been fishing these waters for more than 30 years. We have dozens of models across seven brands of boats that will be just the thing for your style of mackerel fishing.

My tip for the keen inshore mackerel fisherman is one of our 470 Flagship Destroyer models. Plenty of space on the floor for iceboxes, six well- positioned rod holders, high sides and a fully enclosed transom. These boats are very stable at rest if you are drifting pilchards and great through the chop on those frosty winter mornings dragging lures around.

Full transom Flagship Destroyers are available in 470, 490, 520 & 6M models as well as the ever popular 450 series.

Its important to have easily accessible bait – so a bait tank ( even if it’s not plumbed) makes for quick and easy access to a box of pillies. It’s also handy to have a bait station fitted, especially if you like to create a slick with chopped up pillies from your last trip.

There are lots of models available that are ideal for mackerel fishing.

Another really popular choice is the 5M Hooker tiller model with a flowcoat deck. Hooker boats are designed and built right here in NQ and are very popular with cray divers and trout fishers.

The 5M tiller features a big bait tank, small console to mount a sounder, insulated Esky under the front casting deck and loads of space on the non- slip deck. Powered with a 70HP Yammie, this rig is perfect for the all- round fisho who loves flicking lures, crabbing, trolling, diving – literally everything fishing!

Check out the full range at townsvillemarine. com. au or see you at Townsville Marine – the big boat shed at the end of Ingham Rd, Bohle.