Size matters...what do you measure yours against?

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Size matters...what do you measure yours against?
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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 8:39 pm Post subject: Size matters...what do you measure yours against?

My dearest and I have a trip planned, presently, mainly but not exclusively in the hope of meeting up with our first mackerel.

It's only my second ever fishing trip and in the unlikely but most welcome event that we do catch anything I am a bit perplexed as to what is legally but also ethically acceptable size to keep the little chaps for the plate or freezer.

Some of the charts and sites I have googled say 30cm

which seems terribly optimistic, while others say 20cm which sounds more achievable eg https://www.sussex-sfc.gov.uk/minimum_legal_sizes.htm but I would like to be as sure as possible before setting out.

So - can anyone point me to/confirm up to date reliable advice, for this or other likely species? And what are your own personal guidelines on top of that?

Other advice most welcome too, bearing in mind I at least am a complete newcomer to this, but this is the bit that's really confusing me at the moment - I have worked out that any we want to release again shouldn't be handled and we will be optimistically prepared for dispatching...the HFW Bassgate scandal is still too painfully fresh in our minds for anything else

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 8:45 pm Post subject:
Try here But sizes do depend on local rules. Justme

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 8:51 pm Post subject:
30cm seems to be the most used minimum. It's also the min size mentioned in the RC fish book. Good luck!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45457
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 8:56 pm Post subject:
ethical imho is eat it if if isnt going to get better dispatch of fish is tidy if one uses either hard blow to base of head or this one is neat but tricky ,finger in mouth ,thumbs on back of neck ,twist outwards to pull medula oblongata from brain and break spine not good with fierce fish or hard bite behind the eyes

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 9:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the sizes JB & Justme. It looks like perhaps the local (it will be Sussex as in the link I gave) acceptable size is 20cm but good practice is 30cm as in your two figures. My confusion is because I could have sworn mackerel as sold in supermarkets (bless me) wasn't 30cm+

I forsee us coming home hungry at this rate - if you don't mind my asking, what sizes do you normally wind up with?

And Dpack, cheers, I'm with you on all that. I actually just came across the finger in mouth technique today...my only other catch was a garfish which I was so startled to see I had to get TD to dispatch it for me (definitely not one to trust your digits with!).

I am determined not to be embarassingly girly this time, but I think I will leave the bite behind the head for a little further up the road to carnivorism

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 9:11 pm Post subject:
To be honest I just throw back the ones that look small and haven't damaged themselves too badly on the hook main problem I find is that the speed and ferocity with which they hit the hook often results in 'damage' so I sometimes knock them on the head before even starting to remove the hook. Not very scientific I'm afraid.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45457
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 9:24 pm Post subject:
i was thinking of conger as fierce but my first garfish gave both me and yellow dog a startle the hands on no weapon way is very useful when all is slippery chaos and the priest is missing ,my other hint is good gloves and a meshnet (or other soft cloth) cos many fish have sharp bits and are well wriggly

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Mon Jun 09, 08 9:34 pm Post subject:

Oh boy here we go again.....

Size: If two fish make one meal they are just on the lower acceptable size for macrel. Three fish for one meal may do for trout but too small to make sense in macrel.

Getting them off the hook unharmed is not easy. Catch and release in macrel sounds good, but MIND YOUR OWN FINGERS! They have some nasty spiked finns on the back and they wriggle like crazy. Breaking their neck before you take out the hook is the best way for you as well as the fish. Do not let people kid you with a neck bite

. Everyone has their own sense of pulling the leg of a newbie.

A macrel will pull hard and seem big but actually turn out to be rather small. Anything approaching a kilo is great. If you can avoid using a net to bag them, do. They will entangle themselves to the point of desperation of the fisherman, and MIND YOUR FINGERS!

Fry them, boil them, smoke them. They are lovely food, serve them with a cucumber salad, new potatoess and sour cream. Ask for recepies!

Enjoy the fishing and welcome to the macrel club.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 08 12:22 pm Post subject:
Hav ejust found our local bylaws for all things fishing HERE says 200mm for makeral Justme

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 08 12:41 pm Post subject:

mihto wrote:

Fry them, boil them, smoke them. They are lovely food, serve them with a cucumber salad, new potatoess and sour cream. Ask for recepies!

Recipes please, mihto

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 08 1:16 pm Post subject:

judith wrote:

mihto wrote:

Fry them, boil them, smoke them. They are lovely food, serve them with a cucumber salad, new potatoess and sour cream. Ask for recepies!

Recipes please, mihto

Will do. Just on my way out for another afternoon of trout fishing. Guest from Germany; anything to keep them happy!!!

Will get back tomorrow.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 08 5:14 pm Post subject:

Jonnyboy wrote:

To be honest I just throw back the ones that look small and haven't damaged themselves too badly on the hook

main problem I find ...

Not very scientific I'm afraid.

Seems fair enough...the natural world has a bad habit of not reading the guidelines doesn't it?

- thanks for that, it's reassuring.

dpack wrote:

i was thinking of conger as fierce but my first garfish gave both me and yellow dog a startle ... my other hint is good gloves and a meshnet (or other soft cloth) cos many fish have sharp bits and are well wriggly

I'm glad it's not just me then! I will be very careful, thanks Dpack.

Also cheers Justme for your local guidelines - seems there are genuine regional variations then.

mihto wrote:

Enjoy the fishing and welcome to the macrel club.

Thanks Mihto. Some interesting tips there. I will steer clear of recipes until the time comes though. I very much enjoyed our last trip simply for the seaside and challenge of learning, so any catch will just be icing on the cake really

Not quite sure what "Oh boy here we go again....." means? Being, as you rightly say, a "newbie", this is the first time this question has been asked here to my knowledge?

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 08 3:20 pm Post subject:

/quote]Not quite sure what "Oh boy here we go again....." means? Being, as you rightly say, a "newbie", this is the first time this question has been asked here to my knowledge?

[/quote]

Oh dear, I'm sorry if there was a misunderstanding. What I meant to say was. Oh boy here we go again. Macrel time ALREADY? We are some weeks behind you up here, and macrel fishing has not reached my concious level yet. I need to put the fishing rod with the right lure connected in the car: on my way home from work I drive along the fjord and then keep an eye open for the schools of macrel. The trick is then to stop the car in a safe place, sprint back and catch a few before they are gone. Not very elegant, but it gives us some nice dinners.

As far as Downsizer goes I'm a newbie as well. I also struggle to keep my balance in a language that is foreign to me, and without a spell check I'm bound to stumble sometimes. However, my experience in fishing, foraging and animals in general should make up for my lack of manners. I would love to be of help; please feel free to ask any question within my range of knowledge!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45457
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 08 3:39 pm Post subject:
that is an elegant way to fish

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 08 4:06 pm Post subject:

judith wrote:

mihto wrote:

Fry them, boil them, smoke them. They are lovely food, serve them with a cucumber salad, new potatoess and sour cream. Ask for recepies!

Recipes please, mihto

Now for some recipes: a must with macrel is the simple sour cream sauce: an ample helping of sour cream mixed with a teaspoon or two of sugar and a liberal sprincling of chives. Goes with any kind of macrel, trout or salmon.

Then the cucumber salad. Cucumber sliced in thin slices. Put in proper amount of salt and ground pepper, then sugar and white vinegar to taste. Also a must with other fat fish.

Boiled, cold macrel. You need water for boling, amount depending on the amount of macrel. Salt to taste, quite a bit. Whole black peppercorns, slices of onion (s), a laurel leaf, sugar and vinegar. Boil for 10 minutes to get a nice taste. Put the macrel in the water and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool the macrel in the brine and serve cold with small potatoes, cucumber salad and sour cream sauce.

How do you people prepare macrel, apart from standard frying or boiling?
[/b]

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