King Mackerel
Carito · also Peto
Scomberomorus cavalla · Scombridae
- Category
- Mackerel & Barracuda
- Found in
- Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean
- IUCN status
- Least Concern
About King Mackerel in Mexico
How to recognize it
A long, steel-gray mackerel with a pointed snout, a mouth full of flat triangular teeth and a deeply forked tail. The quickest field mark is the lateral line, which runs along the back and then drops steeply under the second dorsal fin. Adults are plain silver without spots; small kings carry yellowish spots and are easy to mix up with Spanish or cero mackerel, which keep a gently sloping lateral line and, in cero, a bronze stripe.
Where and when in Mexico
Called carito in official Spanish and peto by most Gulf and Caribbean anglers, the king mackerel roams the whole Mexican Gulf coast and the Quintana Roo shoreline. Off Tamaulipas and Veracruz it gathers around oil platforms, wrecks and the reefs outside Tampico and the port of Veracruz, with runs that tend to peak as water warms in spring and again in fall. Along the Caribbean side, Isla Mujeres, Cancún and Cozumel see kings on the outer reef edges, often mixed with barracuda and bonito. Most fish run 8–25 pounds; heavier "smokers" show up but are the exception.
How it's fished
Slow-trolling live bait such as goggle-eyes, ballyhoo or small bonito on a wire stinger rig is the standard method, with a treble trailing near the tail to catch the short strikers. Fast-trolled spoons, diving plugs and feathered ballyhoo also work over reef edges. Expect a long, blistering first run.
Good to know
Smaller kings are good grilled or smoked. Very large fish carry higher mercury and, in some Caribbean areas, a ciguatera risk, so many local captains keep the medium fish and release the biggest.
Fishing rules in Mexico
- General limit: 10 fish per angler per day, max 5 of one species
Source: NOM-017-PESC-1994 §4.9.1 (2013 mod.). Rules change; confirm current limits, seasons and permits with CONAPESCA before you fish.
