Twice a year the mackerel come through. In spring, Spanish mackerel and kingfish push north up the Gulf coast from their winter water in South Florida, and in fall they come back down. Both runs follow the water temperature, which means you don't have to guess when they'll show up. You can watch for it.
Spanish mackerel
FWC describes Spanish mackerel as schooling fish that move north in spring and head back south when the water drops below about 70°F. They're often found over grass beds and reefs, anywhere from inside the bay to well offshore. They spawn offshore from spring through summer, and around Tampa Bay the spring and fall runs are usually when the schools are thickest.
Around Tampa Bay, look for them:
- At the mouth of the bay and along the channel edges where the tide funnels bait.
- From piers and bridges, including the Skyway Fishing Pier.
- Along the deeper edges of the grass flats.
- Over the nearshore reefs off the beaches.
The surest sign is diving birds. Birds hitting the water over a patch of bait usually mean mackerel are pushing it up from below. Ease up to the edge of the activity rather than running through the middle of it, which scatters the school.
Spanish mackerel have sharp teeth and hit fast-moving baits hard. A short length of heavier leader saves a lot of lures, and a fast retrieve usually beats a slow one.
Kingfish
King mackerel make the same kind of trip on a bigger scale. They winter in South Florida and move north in spring, then come back south in fall. They're seldom found in water cooler than about 68°F. Kings spawn offshore in midsummer.
Kingfish are mostly a nearshore and offshore fish: around reefs, hard bottom and bait schools off the beaches. FWC's Tampa Bay guide notes they're occasionally caught from piers that reach deep water, which puts kingfish within reach of the Skyway Fishing Pier at the bay mouth.
Kings are fast and toothy, and big ones can strip a lot of line. FWC says slow-trolling live baits has proven a favorite: let the bait out behind the boat and idle along in gear. Its tips list pogies, herring, Spanish sardines, ballyhoo and mullet for bait, on 20-pound tackle or heavier with a wire or mono leader. Work them around bait schools and structure. Our guide to Tampa Bay's artificial reefs lists the nearshore reefs worth checking.
Timing the runs with water temperature
The two numbers to remember are about 70°F for Spanish mackerel and about 68°F for kingfish. In spring, watch for the water to climb through those marks. In fall, watch it drop back toward them, because that's when the fish start heading south.
Bait follows the same temperatures, so when the water is right, look for bait first and the mackerel will be close by.
Good places to check the water temperature:
- Egmont Channel Entrance buoy 42098, at the outer end of the shipping channel about 9 nautical miles west of Egmont Key. It reports water temperature and waves, but not wind.
- St. Petersburg tide station 8726520, inside the bay.
- Buoy 42013, run by the University of South Florida on the 25-meter (about 82-foot) depth line, farther south and offshore. It shows what the water is doing outside.
Our Tampa Bay page shows the latest readings along with the forecast.
The month-by-month what's biting calendar shows when the runs usually peak, but they shift from year to year with the weather. The thermometer is more reliable than the calendar.
Rules
Spanish and king mackerel each have their own size and bag limits, and state and federal rules can differ. State waters end 9 nautical miles from shore on this coast. Check FWC's Spanish mackerel rules and king mackerel rules before you keep any.
Before you go
Following birds can pull you a long way from the bay mouth before you notice. Check the NWS forecast for Tampa Bay waters and for the coastal waters out to 20 nautical miles, keep an eye on the sky, and read our guide to the marine forecast if the terms are new to you. In the bay mouth, give large ships plenty of room.