Spanish vs Greenback question

[WahooUSMA]

Why are greenbacks that much better than Spanish mac’s for YT? I’ve read numerous articles referring to pinning a Spanish mac on and what great bait they are. Then, I’ve read other articles that indicate Spanish mac’s are the least preferred bait for YT.

I can’t remember the last time on BWE I read about someone pinning a Spanish mac on and nailing a YT. What’s the difference? I know I’ll get some wise @ss remarks, but I am totally serious. Last weekend I couldn’t catch a grennback for the life of me, but caught a shit load of Spanish.

[Jimmyz123]

I think for some reason the green backs are smaller, I could be wrong, but that's what I have heard others say.

[dsafety]

The greenbacks can be huge, lately I have seen some up to a couple of pounds. I cannot answer the question as to why Spanish do not work as well but it is true. I seldom have much luck using Spanish.

Another advantage to using the greenies is that they are very hardy. Most types of bait, such as anchovies, sardines and Spanish macs do not last very long in the tank or while being trolled. Greenies, on the other hand, can remain lively and fresh for hours.

I know this for a fact since due to the slow fishing recently I have often dragged the same bait around for many hours without a hit. At the end of one of these days, I released my bait and watched it quickly swim away as if it had just come off my Sabiki hook.

Bob

[Gino]

greenbacks are heartier bait. they have alot more activity on the hook. There meat is much more oily. = nutrients that Yt like.

[FISHIONADO]

I've caught my best WSB with Spanish macks and my best YT on Greenbacks. I assumed it was coincidence but now you have me thinking. I prefer Greenbacks for the same reason Bob mentioned, they are like the Energizer Bunny, 3 hours on the hook and still thumping....

[jorluivil]

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

[Tman]

Well, even though some of the responses have been from those that outfish me a zillion to 1/2, I have to chime in...

Greenbacks are heartier, psychotic even, seals love 'em, so why shouldn't YT?

Spanish macs, kinda lethargic at times not feisty like greenbacks.

Truth though is that it is all a matter of preference. The homeguard YT prefer bait they are used to seeing, the greenbacks. The migratory YT prefer bait from their home waters, Spanish macs. The key is to identify where the YT you caught is from, is he a home guard, or is he just passing through?

Once you figure that out, you have answered your question.

Originally Posted by WahooUSMA

What’s the difference? I know I’ll get some wise @ss remarks, but I am totally serious.

Hope this helps...

[Vikingj]

I've been told greenies are best for YT and spanish are better for halibut. Others have claimed that the best bait for 'buts are smelt, or anchovies, or squid, or grunion, or sardines, or surf perch. One guy told me that he was most successful with lizard fish?? So, what is the best bait for hali's in LJ? Thanks,
Wayne

[BigBalsa]

greenbackMack.jpgspanishMack.jpg

[dorado50]

I've heard sardines and squid work pretty good too. Just guessing though. What do you use for bait when the water is too warm for mackeral?

[sandydiego]

There are times when I am happy to get any live bait out there. Lately, getting a greenie is like hitting gold.

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by BigBalsa

Attachment 2873Attachment 2874

So the top one is the Spanish Mac and the bottom photo is the greenie? Am I correct?

I will honestly say I have never seen a greenback until now.

[shortstack]

Green backs are Mackerel, Spanish Macks are actually Jacks not a Mackerel. They do look very similar but if you look closely at the meat when bled out the spanish macks have lighter colored flesh and less oilly. If you try spanish mac sushi and mackerel side by side they taste very different, So that being said I'm sure some fish YT,WSB,Butts, and so on prefer different taste.

[467echo]

Originally Posted by Jimmyz123

So the top one is the Spanish Mac and the bottom photo is the greenie? Am I correct?

I will honestly say I have never seen a greenback until now.

250 posts in 6 months and havn't figured out what a greenback looks like until now Time to get the feet wet!!

[deepdvr]

Originally Posted by Jimmyz123

So the top one is the Spanish Mac and the bottom photo is the greenie? Am I correct?

I will honestly say I have never seen a greenback until now.

LOL...the other way around Jimmy.

[Jzo]

Originally Posted by Jimmyz123

So the top one is the Spanish Mac and the bottom photo is the greenie? Am I correct?

I will honestly say I have never seen a greenback until now.

9-9-2010-6-32-07-PM2.jpg

Greenbacks are very slimy seem to be bigger in size and very active.

Pictures provided by BigBalsa, Edited by Jzo.

[sdfisher]

The best bait for halibut is whatever one you put in front of it when it is hungry!

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by WahooUSMA

Why are greenbacks that much better than Spanish mac’s for YT? I’ve read numerous articles referring to pinning a Spanish mac on and what great bait they are. Then, I’ve read other articles that indicate Spanish mac’s are the least preferred bait for YT. I can’t remember the last time on BWE I read about someone pinning a Spanish mac on and nailing a YT. What’s the difference? I know I’ll get some wise @ss remarks, but I am totally serious. Last weekend I couldn’t catch a grennback for the life of me, but caught a shit load of Spanish.

Greenbacks are essentially tuna, Spanish are jacks.

Think of it like Bonita vrs yellowtail.

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.

Like I said: I like both, caught yellows on both, but I like to use them in slightly different ways.

Jim

[dsafety]

Originally Posted by Jim Day

Greenbacks are faster and have more flash, Spanish are heartier and last longer on the hook.

Jim, I hesitate to question anything someone with your credentials says but in my experience greenbacks are far more durable than Spanish. Maybe it is different when weighted to the bottom but for flylining, give me a greenie any time.

Bob

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by dsafety

Jim, I hesitate to question anything someone with your credentials says but in my experience greenbacks are far more durable than Spanish. Maybe it is different when weighted to the bottom but for flylining, give me a greenie any time.

Bob

I have no credentials I just fish too much...

It's not a big deal. Like I said the greenbacks are essentially little tuna, and order to breath well they have to be swimming. On a dropper loop they are stationary and can't swim around so the struggle against the loop and wear themselves out and die. Spanish don't have the same problems. It depends on the drift but I have found they just don't live as long. Same thing if your bait tank pump fails a Spanish can last a lot longer then a greenback if the flow stops. Greenbacks swim harder so they seem to be stronger, but because they swim so hard they wear themselves out and die faster.

I never thought about it much until I fished a bunch of Caballitos down at PV for big tuna. Caballito's (the little horse) are well known for their ability to live a long time on the hook. We were making bait and I got a Greenback and was psyched, but one of the locals told me to toss it back that it was lousy bait because it would die on the hook.

Caballito's are horse mackerel or Scads in the jack family just like Our Spanish macks.

This is a caballito:




This is what we call a Spanish mack:


As you can see they are pretty similar. Cabbies are just shorter and wider but they look remarkably the same.

Here's a tuna I got on a cabby down there:


I got that with a Torium twenty 65 spectra and a short fifty fluorocarbon topshot. Essentially heavy La Jolla gear.... LOL

It's actually kind of a funny catch. After three days of fishing the right gear: 130 spectra to 130 fluoro, on 50W reels in foaming breaking 200 to 300 pound fish, I decided to toss out a Cabbie on my Pargo rod just to hook one. Lucky for me I hooked one of the smallest fish around...LOL

I swear that bait was only in the water for ten seconds before it got nailed.

I was ready to bait another but the locals gave me a ton of shit for going to the lighter gear, as they didn't want to see me hook and loose a real fish. So I put it the "light stuff" away, but I was just glad to get some blood on the deck.

I was definitely undergunned for the local fish with that setup.

Here's a reel fish my buddy Rob scored on the same trip:


I would of loved to hook that thing but never got a shot.

At any rate since that PV trip I've had a new respect for Spanish macks and I really like using them. You can land quality yellows on them. They are actually one of my favorite baits to fish, and from my experiance they do last longer on the hook then greenbacks, but your milege might vary, and I think a lot of it has to do with how you fish them. To be honest though I've caught more yellows on Sardines then both our mackeral combined and I have caught bigger ones on squid then on anything else. It's all good, it's all about the conditions and how you use them.