• Peak Season: October- December
• Best Charter:3/4 Day Offshore
• Best Technique: Live Chumming the Patch Reefs
• Best Bait: 3'' Pilchards
• Table Fare: Excellent

Cero Mackerel Fishing in Miami

Cero Mackerel are quite common along the inshore patch reefs where they chase down shoals of ballyhoo. The showering baitfish are clear signs of these aggressive game fish. Cero's are often brought in by chumming up the schools of ballyhoo. Once ballyhoo are netted the fun can begin. Mackerel Fishing in Miami can be action packed once you get them going. Drifting back a live ballyhoo on light tackle creates a melee among the 5-10lb ceros as they go airborne for the frantic baitfish. A live well full of small pilchards yields a similar response. If they're available, the pilchards can be used to chum the macs into a frenzy. If this happens Storm Chug Bugs, clark and drone spoons, and Rapala x-raps fool the crazed mackerel. Top water lures are the most exciting lures to employ as you watch multiple fish go airborne for your plug before one finally finds the hooks. 8-12lb spinning tackle is most common for these applications, and is the most fun. Cero's look like miniature versions of their larger cousins the kingfish, and require wire just the same. We employ 6-10" traces of #3 wire with small treble hooks for live baiting and similar traces on our artificial lures. Though bites are less frequent, the wire ensures the fish can't cut you off when you do come tight. Bottom fishing Charters in Miami and the Keys will usually see Cero Macs as by-catch among snapper and grouper. Cero mackerel have delicious white meat and are just as enjoyable on the table as they are on the end of your line.