Its bad luck to be waved of by relations, so bidding farewell to a man walking his dog I went to sea. With my few possessions safely stowed below deck, the skipper informed me that instead of the far north we would be spending the day in Carlingford bay and while he couldn't guarantee a high sea adventure and turn me into a salty sailor, we should at least catch a few mackerel and be back before dark. Catching mackerel over the side of a boat doesn't require a lot of skill but when you are the only one catching fish, it's easy to believe that it does. Luck is more important than skill, especially when a wager on who would catch the first fish had been settled long ago and only a seasick companion and I had yet to catch a fish. When I eventually felt the sharp tug on the line I was truly thankful. Spinning for mackerel from the rocks requires slightly more expertise, but at this time of the year it easy to get carried away and catch far more than you can eat. Mackerel are a beautiful and healthy fish to eat, but must be kept cold when caught and will quickly putrefy in a plastic bag. This predator travelling at 5 mph when it attacks the feathers would be better able to put up a fight if a light rod and tackle are used, instead of being dragged in three or four at a time with a heavy rod. The Mackerel caught close to the shore may be up to twenty years old and once caught are difficult to release successfully. The heat from our hands removes their protective slime allowing body fluids to dissolve into the sea eventually killing the fish. One way to release a Mackerel is to shake it off a barb less hook, a better way is to stop fishing when you have caught enough and go home and light the barbeque.