The author's personal best Cero Mackerel, caught on a live pinfish in the Dry Tortugas Islands, Florida
Cero Mackerel
Scomberomorus Regalis
Home
Other Species
Cero Mackerel Description
These feisty Mackerel are plentiful in many parts of the western Atlantic, including Florida and the Caribbean. They are very similar to their relatives the Spanish Mackerel, and are generally caught the same way. They can be distinguished from the Spanish Mackerel by the yellow/orange streak running across their body. Spanish Mackerel have similar yellow/orange dots but not the streak.
Cero Mackerel are good eating. They max out at around 20lbs, with anything in the double-digits being a very nice fish. They are a skinny fish, and not very heavy at all relative to their length. They are fast, but not particularly powerful. If you catch one, watch out for their sharp teeth which can inflict a nasty bite.
Cero Mackerel Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 5 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale
Cero Mackerel are sporty, but they are slender and don't have much weight to put behind their fight. They do have a high percentage of muscle and can make some speedy runs, but they don't have a lot of stamina. You just have to keep their teeth away from your line.
Cero Mackerel Culinary Rating - Medium
Cero Mackerel make good ceviche or sushi and are generally very tasty.
Cero Mackerel Tackle
These gamesters are not terribly powerful and don't pull you into rocks, so you can get away with fairly light tackle. In general, 20lb braid and a Daiwa Certate 3000 spinning reel are a good choice if you are just targeting Cero Mackerel. Click here for tackle recommendations.
Cero Mackerel Techniques
Cero Mackerel can be chummed up close to the boat with chunks of ballyhoo or other baitfish. Once they get fired up from the chum, they will hit a wide variety of baits and lures. They readily take topwater lures when they are feeding, and that is probably the most fun way to catch them. You can often find them feeding on the surface; look for birds or baitfish activity.
Like all Mackerel, they have an annoying combination of good eyesight and sharp teeth. That means that if you don't fish them with a wire leader you stand a good chance of getting cut off, but if you use a wire leader they are less likely to bite. They often bite the back of a lure, so sometimes you get lucky and they miss the teeth, but most people use the lightest wire they think they can get away with.
Cero Mackerel Lures
Cero Mackerel are a lot of fun to catch on topwater lures such as the Heddon Zara Spook or the Storm Chug Bug or other similar lures. Shiny spoons will also work. If you find them when they are actively feeding, or you get them fired up with chum, a number of things resembling baitfish will work.
Cero Mackerel Baits
In general, it's hard to beat a shiny silver baitfish like a pilchard or ballyhoo. Just bring the fish around with some chum and send some baits back with hooks in them.
Where to get the big Cero Mackerel
Florida has some big ones, but they are found throughout the Caribbean and I can't pinpoint one particular trophy spot for them.
Scomberomorus Regalis
Home
Other Species
Cero Mackerel Description
These feisty Mackerel are plentiful in many parts of the western Atlantic, including Florida and the Caribbean. They are very similar to their relatives the Spanish Mackerel, and are generally caught the same way. They can be distinguished from the Spanish Mackerel by the yellow/orange streak running across their body. Spanish Mackerel have similar yellow/orange dots but not the streak.
Cero Mackerel are good eating. They max out at around 20lbs, with anything in the double-digits being a very nice fish. They are a skinny fish, and not very heavy at all relative to their length. They are fast, but not particularly powerful. If you catch one, watch out for their sharp teeth which can inflict a nasty bite.
Cero Mackerel Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 5 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale
Cero Mackerel are sporty, but they are slender and don't have much weight to put behind their fight. They do have a high percentage of muscle and can make some speedy runs, but they don't have a lot of stamina. You just have to keep their teeth away from your line.
Cero Mackerel Culinary Rating - Medium
Cero Mackerel make good ceviche or sushi and are generally very tasty.
Cero Mackerel Tackle
These gamesters are not terribly powerful and don't pull you into rocks, so you can get away with fairly light tackle. In general, 20lb braid and a Daiwa Certate 3000 spinning reel are a good choice if you are just targeting Cero Mackerel. Click here for tackle recommendations.
Cero Mackerel Techniques
Cero Mackerel can be chummed up close to the boat with chunks of ballyhoo or other baitfish. Once they get fired up from the chum, they will hit a wide variety of baits and lures. They readily take topwater lures when they are feeding, and that is probably the most fun way to catch them. You can often find them feeding on the surface; look for birds or baitfish activity.
Like all Mackerel, they have an annoying combination of good eyesight and sharp teeth. That means that if you don't fish them with a wire leader you stand a good chance of getting cut off, but if you use a wire leader they are less likely to bite. They often bite the back of a lure, so sometimes you get lucky and they miss the teeth, but most people use the lightest wire they think they can get away with.
Cero Mackerel Lures
Cero Mackerel are a lot of fun to catch on topwater lures such as the Heddon Zara Spook or the Storm Chug Bug or other similar lures. Shiny spoons will also work. If you find them when they are actively feeding, or you get them fired up with chum, a number of things resembling baitfish will work.
Cero Mackerel Baits
In general, it's hard to beat a shiny silver baitfish like a pilchard or ballyhoo. Just bring the fish around with some chum and send some baits back with hooks in them.
Where to get the big Cero Mackerel
Florida has some big ones, but they are found throughout the Caribbean and I can't pinpoint one particular trophy spot for them.
Two nice Cero Mackerel caught on a Heddon Zara Spook topwater lure in Florida. Seeing these fish rocket out of the water to grab the lure on the surface is the kind of thing that makes fishing fun.
Cero Mackerel are often used as bait for larger fish, including King Mackerel and billfish. We used this one to catch a huge Goliath Grouper.
A Yellowtail Snapper and Cero Mackerel caught right on the reef with live sardines in Belize.