$12 spanish mack (aji)

[pingpangdang]

Here is what your bait is going for at the local Japanese markets.

Aji or spanish macks are almost as much as a t-bone steak...nearly $12 for one. In Japan there about 2-3. Supply and demand.

Mackerel are around 7 here. In the UK the greenbacks are the favorites to eat for many fisherman more so than seabass.

YT collars frozen were around 20 here...10 bucks a pair.

I like eating bait! Makes me feel better...slightly...on skunk days as my wife prefers smaller fish.

Catch 10 spanish macks and you have a $100 worth of fish! Tell the wife, "see...fishing pays off!". Justify those new lures, tackle, gas, and time on the water!
uploadfromtaptalk1469831005905.jpguploadfromtaptalk1469831023800.jpguploadfromtaptalk1469831037945.jpg

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[east county dirtbag]

Are they good eating? How do you prepare that?

[pingpangdang]

Spanish mack aka aji aka horse mackeral are rreat and popular in Japan.

Sashimi, sushi, grilled with rock salt, or fried

Here are some videos:
Sashimi
https://youtu.be/F98ZtxrFKB8

Fried aji and beer
https://youtu.be/XQ0teOjlFSA

Iron chef battle
https://youtu.be/1ywepqcf1vM

Sushi from some sushi joint
https://youtu.be/0z3r4v3asOs



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[King Saba]

Bait tastes good. A bonus for me when I manage to find some spanish is turning them into sashimi. I usually ice them ASAP after bleeding them, gutting them on the spot, and to scraping out the blood.

Keep in mind though that our Spanish Macs and Greenies taste totally different from Atlantic Green Mackerel and Japanese Green Mackerel. In addition, there are various species of Aji around Japan some get over 3lbs I believe. For whatever reason our macs aren't as fatty as those mentioned above. They still taste good though.

[Dingokevin]

Wife is Japanese our greenback is far far from the same mack that the Japanese eat. Theirs is light pink color and a mild taste,and it's blue not green.

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[pingpangdang]

All my japanese neighbors love the aji I bring home...I've lived in japan for 6 years and i cant tell the difference...I've caught some fat ones locally not the common little dinks.

I like our local greenbacks too...less oily and fishy. Used to hate mackerel because of that.

high amount of omega-3 fatty acids which help prevent cardiovascular disease and promote brain health.

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[pingpangdang]

uploadfromtaptalk1469873907640.jpg greenies aji and squid

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[pingpangdang]

Originally Posted by King Saba

Bait tastes good. A bonus for me when I manage to find some spanish is turning them into sashimi. I usually ice them ASAP after bleeding them, gutting them on the spot, and to scraping out the blood.

Keep in mind though that our Spanish Macs and Greenies taste totally different from Atlantic Green Mackerel and Japanese Green Mackerel. In addition, there are various species of Aji around Japan some get over 3lbs I believe. For whatever reason our macs aren't as fatty as those mentioned above. They still taste good though.

Doubt everyone knows what saba means....but you are the true King of the mackerals!

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[King Saba]

Originally Posted by pingpangdang

Doubt everyone knows what saba means....but you are the true King of the mackerals!

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I'd love to see pics of the local fat ones you got. lol I suppose so. Another bonus to eating macs is that they have low levels of mercury since they grow fast and aren't in our waters for as long other fish.

[PescadorPete]

Bait fish lunch in Southern Spain. Sardines rubbed with rock salt and grilled over an open charcoal file on the beach. Pretty tasty.

[alanw]

The "Spanish" here are Jack Mackerel

[pingpangdang]

Originally Posted by King Saba

I'd love to see pics of the local fat ones you got. lol I suppose so. Another bonus to eating macs is that they have low levels of mercury since they grow fast and aren't in our waters for as long other fish.

Had some a while back near the south reserve...rampant that day. Since then typical hand sized models.

Per wiki they can get to 34". Larger ones move inshore and north in the summer. Range from up north to baja.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_jack_mackerel

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[pingpangdang]

Originally Posted by PescadorPete

Bait fish lunch in Southern Spain. Sardines rubbed with rock salt and grilled over an open charcoal file on the beach. Pretty tasty.

Very similar to what they do in Japan. Stayed at a mountain bed and bath that had trout and salamanders cooked that way...pass on the salamanders next time

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[FullFlavorPike]

Diving in the kelp, I've seen some huge Spanish macs. I think the big ones (the size of your forearm) tend to roll solo, in twos and threes, which is why we don't catch them as much, since we target the big schools of smaller fish for making bait.

[Sheephead]

Originally Posted by King Saba

I'd love to see pics of the local fat ones you got. lol I suppose so. Another bonus to eating macs is that they have low levels of mercury since they grow fast and aren't in our waters for as long other fish.

Go to LJ soon, there's a few schools of 20+" built like a tank mac's. Got a 22" yesterday.