Mackerel Munchies

[Billfish715]

So, with all of the pictures and posts of the mackerel being caught and the thrill on the faces of the fishermen who caught them, what do they do with them? The macks appear to be chum mackerel and given the delicate texture of their flesh, I can't imagine what condition they must be in after spending hours in a cooler with little or no ice. Why keep them except for a photo op?

Does anyone have a recipe for chum macks that can make keeping them worthwhile? I hate to see fish being kept, then discarded and wasted only so someone can have a keepsake picture of their fishing experience. I understand the concept of people enjoying a day on the water and the need to put customers at the rail, but unless there is a good reason to take the macks home, throw them back.

Macks are usually used as hook baits for bigger fish. Strips from them are good fluke bait when they are fairly fresh. I just don't know about them as good tablefare. It might be a good fishing community service to post some suggestions for the care and preparation of the mackerel that are currently being caught.