Overview
Very common gregarious pelagic fish in the Mediterranean. Fast and combative, excellent live bait for predators.
Identification
Pronounced lateral lineLong pectoral finsDark spots along the backLarge protruding eyeSmall scalesProminent dorsal spinesTerminal mouthReduced ventral plate
- Body
- Elongated and laterally compressed body with a forked tail fin.
- Colouration
- Blue-green back, silver sides, and white belly with reflective scales.
- Sexual dimorphism
- Absent/not noticeable.
- Growth
- Medium, reaches maturity in a few years.
Taxonomy
- Family
- Carangidae
- Order
- Carangiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
Related species
Trachurus mediterraneusTrachurus picturatusTrachurus novaezelandiaeCaranx hipposCaranx crysosDecapterus macarellus
Habitat & distribution
- Environment
- coast, open_sea, reefs
- Preferred bottom
- sand, rock, gravel
- Geographic distribution
- Wide distribution in the Mediterranean, Northeast Atlantic from Norway to Senegal, and the Black Sea.
- Micro-habitat
- Often found in open waters near the coast and over mixed seabeds.
Prefers well-oxygenated and nutrient-rich waters.
Presence by sea area
Tirreno NordPeak
Tirreno CentroPeak
Tirreno SudPeak
Adriatico NordPeak
Adriatico CentroPeak
Adriatico SudPeak
Ionio NordPeak
Ionio CentroPeak
Sardegna OvestPeak
Sardegna EstPeak
Sicilia TirrenoPeak
Sicilia Ionio CanalePeak
Eu Mediterraneo OvestPeak
Eu Mediterraneo EstPeak
Eu Atlantico NePeak
Eu Golfo BiscagliaPeak
Eu Mare NordPeak
Eu ManicaPeak
Eu Azzorre Madeira CanariePeak
Af Atlantico Trop EPeak
Af BenguelaPeak
Af Sudafrica AtlanticoPeak
Open Atlantico TempPeak
Diet
- Primary prey
- small crabs, shrimp, annelids
- Secondary prey
- small cephalopods, fish larvae, plankton
- Occasional prey
- other small fish, fish eggs
- Feeding behaviour
- Gregarious and active predator, hunts in groups by quickly darting at schools of prey.
- Natural predators
- tuna, bass, bonito, dolphins
Opportunistic feeder, focuses on abundant organisms.
Behaviour
- Activity
- diurnal
- Social behaviour
- large_schools
- Aggressiveness
- low
- Migration
- Performs seasonal migrations for breeding and feeding.
- Seasonal behaviour
- Approaches coastal areas during warm seasons and forms large schools.
- Juveniles
- Young form dense schools for protection and hunting in the upper layers of water.
- Adults
- Adults can form large schools and migrate depending on food availability.
Reproduction
- Spawning season
- May, June, July
- Spawning depth
- between 20 and 60 meters
- Eggs
- Pelagic, small, and transparent eggs.
- Larval stage
- Larvae are planktonic and gradually develop pigmentation and adult features.
- Sexual maturity
- Varies between 2 and 4 years
When to catch Atlantic horse mackerel
Activity calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
PeakGoodLowInactive
Activity by season
Best times
Dayalba, tramonto
Nightnotte, tarda sera
This species shows peak fishing activity in summer and autumn, when the productivity index (FPI) reaches its highest values.
Fishing activity decreases in winter, when conditions are less favourable.
Ideal conditions
Atmospheric pressure
Low
Rises to surface, active and easy to locate schools.
Medium
Moderate activity at mid-water.
High
Stays deeper and less active.
Barometric trend
Water temperature
6°COptimal zone: 11-18°C22°C
Preferred tide: moving
Where to catch it
Best spots
reef edgesopen coastal watersnear reefsharbor mouths
Bottom preference
Spot type
Fishing techniques
Recommended
light trollingbottom fishingseine netcasting
Other applicable
Light JiggingSpinningSabiki RigsShore JiggingPesca A Mosca In MareSpinning UltraleggeroSpinning LeggeroStreamerBeach FishingBolognese LeggeraPesca A GalleggianteSurfcasting Leggero
Recommended baits
live shrimpsardine piecesstriped squidartificial larvae
Baits by pressure
Low
Piuma biancaSabiki fluorescenteSabiki standardFeather jigJig head + softbaitMetal jig leggero (20-40g)Softbait piccolo / LRF
Medium
Sugarello vivoAcciuga vivaGambero morto / Gambero
High
Bigattino
Catch & handling tips
- Fight
- Combative and responsive, makes quick jerky pulls and tries to swim sideways.
- Handling
- Use a wet cloth to avoid damaging the scales when handling.
- Release
- Release gently back into the water quickly to reduce animal stress.
Curiosities & culture
- Record catches
- Sport fishing often reports catches of mackerel exceeding 30 cm in length along Mediterranean coasts. They are known for traveling in large schools, making them a fantastic target for sport fishermen.
- In the kitchen
- Widely used in fish soups and mixed fry, popular in Mediterranean cuisine.
- Cultural notes
- In popular culture, the sugarello is often used as a symbol of marine abundance.
- Historical notes
- Historically, mackerel have been caught with traditional methods like traps and trawl nets.
