Family: Mackerel and queenfish

The Spanish mackerel is a coastal pelagic enjoying warm waters. It can be found anywhere, on the reef or about fifty meters upstream, in the blue.

It is present all year round, with a higher probability of February to July, period of the big solitary individuals.

It can be encountered at any time, including mid-day, more rarely after 17.00, and almost always with current. It usually appears under your fins or in your back and you must act quickly with composure. The Spanish mackerel is not bothered by murky water.

The ideal is to hunt it by drifting, with a drop about a hundred meters from the obstacle. You have to get in position and, if there, it will appear. Avoid desperate shots. If the tengiri is on zone, you can have a second opportunity, and you will be better prepared. The shot is often from top to bottom, diagonally. Suffice to say that you have to be accurate, which is not easy with a slip-tip. Get close.

The Tengiri can be hunted with a floatline rig or a reel, but it requires 100m of line and more for fish over 15-20kg if the place is deep. The slip-tip is really a plus because of the speed of the rush. With a conventional barbed shaft aim at the center, between the dorsal and the anal fins.

In recent years I have noticed that tengiri were getting more more suspicious of floatlines than in the past.

It is a fish that comes willingly to flasher, and that can to some extent be chased like its cousin the wahoo.

The Spanish mackerel is delicious raw or cooked but also a fish threatened by commercial overfishing. It is probably one of the best catches of Indonesian waters. Be careful, however, of the presence of parasites in the abdominal area. Take them out and even better, freeze it before slicing it for carpaccio or ceviche.

The double lined mackerel is an occasional fish on the coasts of Indonesia. It usually swims near the surface or mid-water, usually in schools.

I observed it twice in the Maluku in current swept areas, in Sulawasi and in Bali it is locally frequent.

It looks like a mix between dog tooth tuna and the double spotted queenfish, but it’s a different species. Its unique feature is the two clearly visible lateral lines. In action it can be distinguished from the latter by the white area at the center of the tail’s fork.

Its size greater than the double spotted queenfish attracts attention. It is a fast and nervous fish.

The double lined mackerel is said to have poor meat and should not be considered.

The talang queenfish is fond of sandy bottoms and murky waters. It is easily recognized by its elongated and narrow body, its very jagged jaw, a series of large circular black dots on the flank and a golden color out of the water. Also typical are the belly and the quite advanced position of the anal and dorsal fins.

It can be observed all year round, alone or in small groups.

In Indonesia this queenfish is infrequent, it is much more so in the Gulf of Thailand and in the Arabian Peninsula.

The talang queenfish is a very vigorous fish and because of its speed it is often shot instinctively. It presents no particular difficulty.

Like the dolphinfish, the talang queenfish is delicious cooked, an exclusive catch.

The double-spotted queenfish is a very common fish in Indonesia, usually patrolling near the surface or mid-water.

It can be observed all year round, solitary or in small groups. It is recognizable by its fairly compressed shape, its silvery color, its split jaw, and the series of black dots on the flanks.

Generally of modest size, however, it is sometimes possible in the high season to come across specimens of interesting size, 3 kg and more.

The double-spotted queenfish is a sturdy fish and because of its speed it is often shot instinctively. It presents no particular difficulty, but can tear-off easily.

The double-spotted queenfish is not very tasty and should not be targeted.

The long-jawed mackerel is a gregarious fish that is occasionally found in Indonesia, both in shallow water and near deeper drop-offs.

Its behavior makes it recognizable among all: These mackerel always move in schools of very many individuals who eat plankton constantly, mouth wide open. The very marked deformation of the jaw and cheeks reflects the light which illuminates the school in the most beautiful way.

Otherwise, it has the appearance of a small bonito with thinly striped flanks, displaying two black spots behind the pectoral fin.

Generally of very modest size, a pound at most, it would be delicious to consume.

The dolphinfish is a circumtropical pelagic. In Indonesia, it is almost never seen on the reef.

It is also rare to encounter individuals over a dozen kilos. Dolphinfish are found in the blue, upstream of the reef, around the FADs, or under floating debris, which are classical places of presence for this fish.

It can be encountered all year, at any time, including mid-day.

Females have rounded forehead, males have a square forehead. The magnificent colors of the fish disappear after its death.

They are not particularly shy, and the target is quite broad; however, dolphinfish are fast and usually shot close to the surface, which does not facilitate accurate aiming.

Dolphinfish struggle very vigorously but get tired quickly, and their flesh is less fragile than that of the wahoo so fewer fish tear off.

The dolphinfish is very tasty raw or grilled and often served in restaurants.

A catch not to regret.