(Scomber japonicus)
The chub mackerel, the smallest of the =Scombridae= family, approaches
very closely the true mackerel of the East. It is hard to find a fish
of any variety more delicious than a chub mackerel, caught from the
yacht and placed on the broiler as soon as it quits flapping. They are
occasionally found as far north as Monterey bay, but their real range
is from the Santa Barbara channel south. With reasonably light trout
tackle they put up a gamy and interesting fight.
Back, bluish green, mottled with irregular darker streaks, some of
which pass below the lateral line; first dorsal fin quite high, and
about the distance of its height in front of the second dorsal; second
dorsal and anal about the same size and nearly opposite each other;
tail forked, but not so broadly as the bonito. Weight, from one-half
to three pounds.
=Tackle and Lure=--Trout tackle and spoon will furnish interesting
sport. But they will take any lure.
[Illustration: YELLOW-TAIL (Seriola dorsalis)]