Queen Mackerel

Natal Snoek
AKA: Queen Mackerel
Scientific:
Distribution: from the Transkei and right up the East coast of Africa
Conservation status: surviving just

How to catch:
Seeing a Natal Snoek breach and arc through the air like a Springbokkie will drive you mad! Often when they are jumping like this, you will just never get a strike?! It seems they take our lures more readily when they are not jumping. More unexplained fish behaviour.
Primarily caught from a moving boat, lately, however, improvements in tackle and casting ability, with braid, has put the Natal Snoek within shore attack range. With a 20 or 30-lb 8x Braid line, on your favourite 8-footer and modern coffee grinder, you are in the game.
You can cast over the backline like this. The same rod can work great on the boat or kayak, for casting to fish surfacing far away. On the boat…use tiny daisy chains and other fast small lures, like a MYDO Stripbaitswimmer rigged behind a MYDO Baitswimmer to keep it mid-water.
For a slower troll, rig a fresh and shiny fillet behind a MYDO Silver Bullet StripBaitSwimmer. Natal Snoek rarely if ever take a bigger bait.
Catch ‘n Cook
Natal Snoek are not only absolutely beautiful, and so much fun to catch – but they are also delicious! Fillet and fry. You might eat your fingers off! It’s nicer just cooked, never overdone.
Conservation
Very hard to find these days, and equally hard to catch, Natal Snoek are threatened. But are seemingly coming back every other or odd year. Sometimes we don’t see them for years. Then all of a sudden a few appear, and disappear again.
Natal Snoek do tag and release quite well, but they have soft mouths so only tag the ones that are hooked nicely and are in good condition. They don’t fight too hard so it’s easy to get them in quick and in good health for a potential release.