Mackerel fishing is amazing!
And that's because you can catch mackerel in the middle of summer. The strong mini tuna are starting to take up residence in our Danish waters as the first days of summer hit us. In 2024, the mackerel season started already in May, just as in 2025, fish were caught only in May.
The mackerel is beautiful, strong and easy to catch - perfect for a family outing
Mackerel fishing should be fun
To catch mackerel, you don't even need to go to piers or jetties. Along almost the entire west coast of Jutland, you can simply find an area with a current or reef, and start your search for mackerel. They often come VERY close to land, in connection with their hunt for food. And this is where you have the opportunity to really have fun. Equipped with light spinning gear, or a light fly rod, you can catch the fish right at your feet.
You may want to check out our page with mackerel lures if you want to get started quickly.
Mackerel season
Mackerel season is best in July and August, but starts as early as June.
When the wind is in the east and warmer weather comes upon us, the first shoals typically appear along the coast of West Jutland, just as shoals are quickly reported at Læsø, on the migration route towards the Baltic Sea. Many hobby and commercial fishermen like to catch many with their tools, half or a whole week before the anglers get to join in the party.
The mackerel season seems to vary slightly from year to year, but with warm weather and easterly winds, you can be sure that they will come to West Jutland. From mid-July they will be all over the country on the open coasts, where you will often find them along piers and harbors where there is deep water close to land.
A fantastic bycatch
Many people discover mackerel by chance, in late summer, typically while fishing for sea trout or sea bass . If you fish for these species, you will often run into mackerel and get to know this fun fighter. The mackerel's sometimes ferocious behavior also makes it quite easy to catch, which is why it is often seen as a bycatch.
When is the best time to catch mackerel?
It is absolutely best to fish for mackerel during the first days of east winds in July.
After these days of easterly winds, however, such large shoals have typically come in that you can catch them without much difficulty, morning, noon and evening for the rest of July and the first part of August. It is undoubtedly best to catch mackerel in the morning and evening, when they are hunting sprats and sandeels on the inner reefs of the coast, here they pounce on any food item that comes their way. Here you will be able to experience a real "mackerel blitz".
What is a mackerel flash?
These mackerel flashes occur when the mackerel chase large schools of prey fish to the surface and then attack them from below. This causes the prey fish to jump out of the water, which can make it look like the water is boiling. These are the so-called flashes.
If you see such a flash, it's a matter of getting to where the mackerel are hunting quickly. If you get your lure or fly through these areas, it's just a matter of holding on!
The mackerel often hunt in a big way after the sun has set - it's exciting fishing with lots of bites.
How to fish for mackerel
Mackerel are easiest to catch with an elongated lure of about 20 grams, which can be taken quite quickly. Mackerel swim quickly and will probably catch up with your lure or fly, you can't take your bait in so fast that they can't catch it.
