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FISH GUIDE · Sea

Atlantic horse mackerel: identification, habitat and fishing guide

Trachurus trachurus

Look for horse mackerel at the right level in the water using a short feather rig. Watch for bites, keep free hooks under control and prepare to unhook the fish before bringing it up.

Catalogue names : Chinchard. Forms and names may vary between habitats.

Editorial review : · This species guide is not permission to fish. Read the precautions below and check the current rules for your location before targeting a species. Some species or populations are protected.

Geographical distribution

Documented, among other areas, in the Northeast Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea. Taxonomic limits of more southerly records associated with Cape horse mackerel are not resolved here.

  • Documented presence : Northeast Atlantic
  • Documented presence : Mediterranean Sea
  • Documented presence : Black Sea

Documented areas, not an exhaustive list. Presence in a region does not imply presence in every water body or permission to fish.

Distribution sources

Identification

Trachurus trachurus is silvery, with a large eye, a dark spot on the gill cover and thickened plates along an angled lateral line. Mackerel have a different shape and colouring. Mediterranean and blue horse mackerel are harder to distinguish: colour alone is not enough; the accessory lateral line helps compare them.

Habitat

It forms shoals in open water, particularly above sandy bottoms, and may approach the coast during the warmer season. To explore, choose an accessible headland or a permitted boat-fishing area where the line remains clear. A harbour is not automatically open to fishing; a deep spot is not necessarily occupied.

Diet

It eats fish, crustaceans and cephalopods.

Behaviour

Collective movement explains why several bites can follow one another and then stop. Treat a bite as a clue to the depth level and passing fish. Repeat the same route, then search slightly above or below before changing colour: this approach is indicative.

Fishing context and precautions

  1. Prepare a short feather rig with few hooks, a swivel towards the main line and a terminal weight. Check local tackle limits and stay below the rod’s casting rating, including the complete rig. Clear the area behind you before putting it in the water.
  2. Lower the rig without letting it tangle. From shore, cast gently then count the descent time consistently; from a boat, start nearly vertically beneath you. This count helps reproduce a water layer, not state an exact depth.
  3. Work the rig with small rod lifts followed by a controlled descent. Gradually change the layer explored if there are no bites. Bring up the first fish without waiting for more to hook themselves: controlling the rig and unhooking must remain simple.
  4. Bring the fish into a landing net if necessary. Put down the rod, secure the free hooks and unhook one fish at a time. Then repeat the same descent time; if bites stop, try another level before concluding that the shoal has left.

A distinctive feature

Young fish may shelter beneath jellyfish or among their tentacles.

Sources and review

Each reference includes its access date. Overall editorial review: . Local conditions and regulations may change.

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