Scad (Horse Mackerel)
By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026
You wind in a string of feathers and one of the “mackerel” looks wrong. The eyes are too big, and a hard, ridged line runs down its side.
That is a scad fish, also called the horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). Despite the name, it belongs to the jack family and is not closely related to the Atlantic mackerel.
This page on one of the less familiar UK sea fish species covers how to identify scad, how big they get, the 15 cm minimum size, where and when to find them, how to catch them, and what to do with one once it is landed.
How to Identify Scad: Scutes, Gill Spot and Big Eyes
Run your thumb along the side of the fish. If you feel a line of hard, bony plates following the lateral line, you are holding a scad. Those plates are called scutes, and an Atlantic mackerel has none.
The second tell is a black spot on the trailing edge of the gill cover. MarLIN (the Marine Life Information Network) gives this as the feature that separates scad from other mackerel. A scad fish also has:
- Two dorsal fins, the first tall and spined
- A deeply forked tail
- Large eyes for the size of its head
| Fish | Key tell | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Scad | Bony scutes along the lateral line, black gill spot | A jack, not a true mackerel |
| Atlantic mackerel | No scutes, bold wavy bars across the back | Often caught on the same feathers |
| Shad | Herring-shaped body, no bony plates along the lateral line | A herring relative with a similar-sounding name |
| Garfish | Long, beak-like jaws | Slender, eel-like body |
Around the coast you may also hear scad called buck mackerel, mossbanker or skipper.
Unhook them with care. The scutes and dorsal spines are sharp, so hold the fish firmly behind the head. For other lookalikes, see the UK fish identification guide.
If you only check one thing, check the lateral line.
Scad Size and the 15 cm Minimum Size
Most scad caught from the shore are small. British Sea Fishing puts typical shore fish at under 12in and under 1lb (0.45kg), with a top size of about 18in and 3lb (1.4kg).
Small fish run straight into a legal limit. The GOV.UK list of minimum conservation reference sizes in UK waters sets a minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) of 15 cm for horse mackerel (Trachurus species).
That page does not say how the fish should be measured or how the size applies to recreational anglers. Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) byelaws can add their own size rules, so check with your local IFCA before you keep a scad. The North Western IFCA minimum sizes page is one example, and our sea fish minimum sizes guide covers other species.
The British record for scad is held on the British Record (rod-caught) Fish Committee (BRFC) list. Check the current list for the latest figure; our British fishing records guide explains how claims work.
Anything under 15 cm goes straight back. Check your IFCA before keeping the rest.
Where and When to Find Scad in UK Waters
Feather an empty sea in spring and the problem may be the calendar, or the coast.
Scad are a southern and western fish in UK waters. MarLIN records them throughout the English Channel, in the Irish Sea as far north as Lancashire, and along the south coast of Ireland. British Sea Fishing adds that they are more common in the south and west, with a separate population reaching the Scottish coast in summer.
Angling sources say scad tend to come closer inshore in the warm summer months, and they are thought to be most active towards sunset. Neither is a hard rule.
For scad fishing in the UK, shoals are usually fished from:
- Piers and breakwaters
- Steep beaches
- Boats
The same piers and rocky marks are fished for bass and pollack, so a scad session there can be adapted if other species turn up.
If you want scad, try a pier or breakwater with deep water close in on a summer evening.
How to Catch Scad: Feathers, Sabikis and Small Baits
Drop your hook size first. Feather and daylight rigs sold for mackerel typically carry 2/0 hooks, and British Sea Fishing suggests size 4 to 6 or smaller for small fish. Most scad fall into that bracket.
Sabiki rigs go smaller still. Versions with size 14 hooks are sold in UK tackle shops.
To fish a string for scad:
- Use a rig of 3 to 6 hooks.
- Cast into the shoal and retrieve, or jig the rig up and down under a pier or from a boat.
- Match the hook size to the fish. If you are missing bites, go smaller.
On heavy beachcasting gear a scad barely registers. For lighter sport, light rock fishing gear suits them.
Scad also take bait. A small strip of fish, a ragworm or a strip of squid on a small hook will catch them.
The drawbacks: feathers and sabikis tangle easily and snag on barnacled pier legs. Our guide to the best mackerel feathers covers the rig types in more detail.
Best for: a sabiki when scad are the main target. Skip if: mackerel are also about, in which case standard feathers make more sense.
Can You Eat Scad, or Use It as Bait?
Scad are eaten widely in southern Europe, yet British Sea Fishing notes they are less prized in Britain and most of the UK commercial catch is exported.
They are edible, but take only what you need. MarLIN lists horse mackerel as a Species of Principal Importance in England and Wales and a Priority Marine Feature in Scotland. Return small fish quickly.
Like mackerel, a fresh strip of scad is an oily fish bait. If you keep a fish, kill it quickly and keep it cool.
Keep a scad only if it is over the minimum size and you will eat it or use it for bait.
Frequently asked questions
Is scad the same as horse mackerel?
Yes. Scad and horse mackerel are two names for the same species, Trachurus trachurus. In some areas you will also hear buck mackerel, mossbanker and skipper.
Is a scad a mackerel?
No. A scad is a jack, not a true mackerel, and it is not closely related to the Atlantic mackerel. The quickest tells are the bony scutes along the lateral line and the black gill spot on the gill cover.
Is scad the same as shad?
No. Shad are herring relatives, while scad belong to the jack family. The names sound alike, and British Sea Fishing warns anglers not to confuse the two.
Is there a size limit for scad in the UK?
Yes. GOV.UK sets a 15 cm minimum conservation reference size for horse mackerel in UK waters. Check with your local IFCA for how it applies to anglers and whether local byelaws add further rules.