Shore fishing uses a variety of methods to catch mackerel. Here are just some of them.
								An alternative to spinning with metal lures is to use a rubber lure - red gill, delta, Eddystone eel or similar - mounted on a long trace behind a weight (see diagram). This is cast out and then steadily retrieved at different paces and depths until the mackerel are contacted. It can be used on a variety of rods but a lot of people use carp rods with two ounce weights. (Personally, I use a baitcaster with 21g weight and a red gill.)
							My two favourite methods of fishing for mackerel are fly fishing and float fishing. I am going to deal with the first in a separate article and so will concentrate on float fishing here. When float fishing, you should go for the lightest float and rod/reel combination that you can get hold of. Mackerel are game fighters but they are not huge so, instead of trying to winch them in on heavier gear, scale your tackle down to get maximum enjoyment from the fight. You will also find that you can cast the light float further and this, in turn, will enable you to catch more fish. The size of the float determines the amount of resistance that the mackerel will feel when they take your bait. A small one will slip beneath the water easily and will go down a long way before being rejected. Larger floats are rejected more quickly, giving you less time to strike. To tackle up, slip on a bead, float, bead, weight, bead and then tie on a swivel. Tie a 4 to 6 foot trace to the other eye of the swivel and then connect your hook. (Personally I use a B980 in sizes 2, 4 or 6.) Tie a stop above the float and then pop a narrow strip of mackerel skin, albeit with most of the flesh removed, onto your hook. This will dangle temptingly in the water and will flutter and move with the motion of any waves or current. When you do attach your bait, just pierce the skin once, in the middle of the strip, about two to three millimetres from the end. This will give the bait maximum movement, which will, in turn, catch you more fish.
			Besides red gills and rubber eels, you can experiment with latex shads, jellyworms, hokkai headed flies or even tiny spinners in sizes that would otherwise be too small to cast. The only note of caution I would give is not to be tempted by latex lures which are weighted at the head. These don't swim right behind another weight and you're better off using them on their own.