For several years, there has been a consistent echo of reports up and down Florida's east coast based on spectacular mackerel catches. Capt. Jack Jackson puts it plain and simple:

"In the past four to five years, there has been a noticeable increase in the size and number of Spanish mackerel our clients are catching in the Indian River Lagoon. There's also been an increase the amount of baitfish these mackerel have to eat in this lagoon system. I guess it's a sign of a healthier system," he concluded.

Capt. Jackson has been running a guide service out of his Vero Tackle and Marina Shop for more than 20 years, and this is the best mackerel action he has ever experienced in these waters. Actually it's not usual to catch Spanish of more than 5 pounds during parts of the year.

Recently, in fact, a female client fishing with Jackson caught a Spanish mackerel of a tad more than 9 pounds. Probably it would have been a new International Game Fish Association line-class world record, had it been submitted to the organization.

But the outstanding mackerel fishing isn't limited to Florida's central east coast. During the Hog's Breath King Mackerel Tournament earlier this year in Key West, a trio of 60-pound-plus king mackerel took the three top places on the leader board -- and to place in the top 10, you needed a kingfish well over 40 pounds.

It seems like only yesterday when I was fishing outside Port Canaveral with Ric Hinman and Capt. Scott Ashmore aboard, the Rebel Rouser, Ashmore's dependable 23-foot Mako. We were about 18 miles southeast of the port, trolling several rigged ballyhoo and one semi-large mullet -- wired under a red-and-black, silver bullet-head skirt attached to a 4-ounce egg sinker. We'd been fishing farther offshore in 180 to 220 feet of water most of the day, with little action to show for it.

When we reached 128 feet, there was a distinct change from purple-blue water to more of a blue-green tint. We detoured over to pick up a pair of floating balloons, because sea turtles often eat such balloons, thinking they are jellyfish. Needless to say, balloons are rough on turtles' digestive system and can even kill them. While circling around, before we could nab those troublesome balloons from the water, our stout tackle woke up from its long doldrums. Within minutes, we were graced by an outbreak of seriously memorable strikes. Ric made fast work of his first wahoo, nearly 40 pounds of sizzling speed and power.

Meanwhile, at the end of a 45-minute battle, Capt. Ashmore experienced the biggest surprise of his offshore fishing career, when he brought to the boat a 105-pound-plus wahoo, after it nearly stripped his reel twice. It proved that world-class wahoo fishing is within a short distance of our east coast. (Cont.)

THE MACKEREL STORY
For many years, anglers seldom found a more cooperative, abundant and delicious fish than Spanish mackerel. Each spring, just as tourist crowded our beachside communities and water temperatures started to rebound, a run of spring mackerel would invade our inshore areas. This fishery, along with the king mackerel that usually followed a little bit later and farther offshore, attracted thousands of anglers, who spent millions of dollars annually on tackle, boats, gas and accommodations.

As the '60s, '70s and '80s came and went, so did those great numbers of Spanish mackerel. The catches dropped significantly because of increased commercial and recreational fishing pressure. As Florida grew at a rapid pace, the mackerel fishery suffered. Eventually, the tremendous mackerel migrations and this wonderful fishery were almost consigned to things of the past.