Spanish vs Greenback question

[jorluivil]

I'm still trying to figure out which is which.

[FISHIONADO]

Spanish macks have no green pattern, mostly solid gray/brown coloring. Greenbacks have unique green or blue color striped pattern on their back.

[Jzo]

Just like FISHIONADO said greenbacks have stripes on them and when you hold them you can feel that they are very strong.

[-scallywag-]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

I'm still trying to figure out which is which.

well i guess it's more confusing than funny....

Spanish Mac = "the lazy ones", these are the smaller, solid greenish/olive colored ones...part of the jack family and somehow related to YT....also very good to eat.

Greenbacks = aka, Greenies, pacific mac's, these are the blueish/green one's with black lateral stripes.


Best Bait = the one that catches fish!!!! Honestly I have done well with both. My basic approach is to fish a bait that will stand out....it there are lots of large schools of spanish, dines, and smelt around (typical conditions) then that lively greenie is my first choise.
Othertimes in deeper water/high current areas where microbaits and greenback/sardine schools are more abundant I'll toss a spanish out....also days when there is not much bait around, that lonely spanish trolled near the kelp can be a money maker (although greenies work well in these conditions too they are usually much harder to find unless you know where to look).
Also do not overlook size....I don't care what your GF told you!!!...it matters!!! people tend to shy away from the 8-12"er's but those are the best ones!!!! (unless threshers are around) Even very recently I have caught 12-15lb YT on 10" greenies....if your targeting cbass you can go even bigger!! (trim their tailfins if they swim too strong).

In general I feel that the greenies are the most effective BAIT for targeting YT and WSB because of there larger size and higher energy content....not to mention they are a little spunkier.

Ohh and one more thing....slow trolling the same greenie all day, hoping for your # to get pulled = bad habit!! if you absolutly must have a bait out at ALL TIMES at least get into the habit of changing out your bait for a fresh one when the area your in looks or feels fishy, I promise, it makes a HUGE difference.

[roadx]

actually i think the tiger striped mackerel are Atlantic mackerel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_mackerel



EDIT..... The chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus, also known as the Pacific mackerel or blue mackerel and sometimes referred to as a "hardhead" or "bullseye", closely resembles the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)


doh!!!!!

[Iceman]

slimier so they slide down easy and they don't poke ya with their spiney dorsal.

[dsafety]

The Spanish have big, "deer in the headlights" eyes and spiny dorsal fins. Greenies are smoother, slimy and more mackerel-ish.

Bob

[ryan111]

also green backs live longer witch means you catch more!!!

[dorado50]

it don't matter which bait you use ...its how and when to fish it, just like scallywag stated.

[dos ballenas]

Originally Posted by -scallywag-

Ohh and one more thing....slow trolling the same greenie all day, hoping for your # to get pulled = bad habit!! if you absolutly must have a bait out at ALL TIMES at least get into the habit of changing out your bait for a fresh one when the area your in looks or feels fishy, I promise, it makes a HUGE difference.

very good point to here... not to mention that sometimes bait will slowly die while siting in your bait tank. Keep making bait as you go throughout the day and constantly cycle bait into your tank and then onto your hook.

One of the most common things I hear sport boat captains say is to try a "fresh bait".... I recently watched a a deck hand slowly choose a nice bait, cast it out, and get bit, back to back, all in front of a bunch of guys soaking what they though were "lively" baits.

[walrus]

Jim Day said; Greenbacks are faster and have more flash, Spanish are heartier and last longer on the hook. Greenbacks have to be constantly swimming to breath, Spanish can sit still in your tank, and be fine. I've caught yellows on both, but nothing get's bit quicker when things are hot then a lively lit up greenback. Flyline I prefer greenbacks, halibut I prefer greenbacks, or fast bites I prefer greenbacks on the loop, but for dropper loop fishing when things are slow I prefer spanish because the live longer on a dropper loop rigs. One thing to note. On a Carolina rig, or halibut rig a greenback will swim around and stay off the bottom, untill it wears itself out and dies. A Spanish will hug the bottom and hide, for that reason sometimes spanish are better on a dropper loop the a carolina unless you are on clean sand.

That explains why I never caught a fish off the bottom using a greenback, but have on spanish. I love this site it continually helps me get better.

[bigbarrels]

what is the largest Greenback you would pin on a hook for YT? There has been some large ones out there recently. However, on my last outing I also found a huge school of 5-7 inch Greenbacks. So, also what is the smallest you would pin on for a YT? Last outing I had perfect bait, one hit and I engaged the reel too fast (4-5 seconds) and lost the fish..... Doh! Sometimes fishing La Jolla reminds me of when I use to fish at the Santa Ana River lakes......you have one shot at a big fish and if you miss it, you are done for the day......no skills

[Zed]

I'm starting a grassroots campaign to revert back to calling them jack macks and green macks. Spanish macks are something completely different, and more like sierra macks.

And sculpin are scorpionfish, and wsb are croakers!