I'm going to give you a run down of how I set up for a mackerel trip. I set up this way for the Spanish mackerel, and any by-catch that might be around like king mackerel, and sharks. You may have different brands, that's fine, I'm just letting you know what I use and why, you can of course adjust any way you wish.
Rod - Okuma Guide Select, 7'x 6" medium/heavy rod. Provides great light tackle action with enough strength for larger fish if necessary.
Reel - Okuma Inspira IA 45. Provides a larger spool to hold 150yds of 15lb test line, and still light enough to cast for long lengths of time.
Mono Leader - from the 15lb test line on the reel I tie using the surgeons knot a 4' piece of Berkly Big Game 40lb test mono.
Wire Leader - I make my own wire leader, here's how:
I start with a package of thin wire leader around 39lb test (yes 39 don't ask me why it's not 40). This wire found in your local tackle shop comes in a 200' length. The first thing I do is take the wire out of the package that is coiled up in a ring and cut through it at one spot. Now instead of having one two hundred foot single piece of wire I have a bunch of 20" pieces to make leader with. Saves a lot of time pulling the wire through two or three tie wraps and cutting each one individually. Using the "haywire twist" shown on the back of the package I wrap on a "size five" Fisher 90lb test barrel swivel on one end. On the other end an Eagle Claw 1/0 2X LONG hook. This leader of course gets tied to the 40lb test mono coming from the reel using a uni-knot.
The bait of choice is the scaled sardine - I have been able to net plenty along the beaches close to shore - just look for birds feeding. Live shrimp works also as a second choice.
Now I'm ready for almost anything - plenty of line on the reel for long runs from a surprise king mackerel, little tunny, or small shark. Forty pound test mono to prevent chaffing from the tail and body of these larger fish. A wire leader, and long shanked hook to get past the sharp teeth on these critters. Notice I said "ready for almost anything" this is because often something very large picks up your bait, maybe a blacktip shark or a 40lb smoker king mackerel. This is where you have an anchor with a fender buoy on the end that you can untie quickly and throw over and start chasing the fish all over the Gulf of Mexico. Trust me - it happens - it's a blast - plan for it.
Hope this helps you enjoy a great day on the water, Capt. Terry