The fish of the Carangidae family, Jack fish also known as, crevalle jack, travallys, scads and has a number of species common in marine warm tropical as well as temperate waters. To know more about general characteristics of jack, you can visit our blog Jack Fish.

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This blog is about the most popular jack fish species, which are present widely across America. In this blog we will also discuss some amazing useful tips for jack fish fishing.

Jack Fish Species:

As in our previous blog, we have already discussed some of the species of jack fish like

• Pilot Fish
• Leather Jack
• Bar Jack
• Yellow Jack
• Crevalle Jack
• Rainbow Runner

Here we will discuss a few of their distinguishing features and their range.

Pilot Fish:

Naucrates ductor, pilot fish, gets its name because of resemblance with sharks and other fishes which look like pilot. They are present in Florida, Caribbean and in the Bahamas. The body of pilot fish has dark wide bands with slender shape and tapering ends. The fish can be caught by drift fishing method.

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Leather Jack:

Oligoplites saurus, leather jack is also known as zapetero, leather jacket. They are present in the Greater Antilles, and Florida. The fish has compressed shape with large pointed head and not fish deliberately. 

Bar Jack:

Caranx ruber, is commonly known as the Bahamas runner and reef runner. The fish has a blue colored streamlined body with a thin deep blue strip from head to tail. The fish love to inhabit the coral reefs and the areas with vegetation. It is widely present in the Bahamas as well as South Florida. Trolling, casting, drift fishing such methods can be used for catching bar jack.

Yellow Jack:

Caranx bartholomaei, has more of a streamlined and colorful body. The yellow jack gives the appearance like yellow tail snapper as the body has blue color on the upper sides while the sides are yellow color. The average reported weight of yellow jack is 20 pounds. The same methods which are used to catch bar jack can be used to catch yellow jack. 

Crevalle Jack:

Caranx hippos, also known as crevally and usually cruise in groups and present in Florida and the Atlantic Ocean and so rare in the Bahamas. This jack has a compressed body with flat head and dark spot on the edge of the gill cover. The tail is sickle-shaped. The average body weight is 50 pounds, however once a 70 pounds crevalle jack caught in Florida.

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Rainbow Runner:

Elagatis bipinnulata, rainbow jack or Spanish jack is present in Bahama and Caribbean seas and rare in Florida. The fish has a streamlined body with slender pointed head. Casting and trolling are the methods usually opt for fishing rainbow runner. The fish make swift moves and can also jump which is not common in other jacks.

Jack Fish Fishing:

• Jack fish inhabit both inshore and surface waters, so to locate where you can get the best fish you have to observe signs, like birds hovering as birds circulate over water where bait fish are abundant. Abundant bait fish mean good food availability for the jack fish. 
• If you are planning to go for offshore jack fishing make sure to check deep bays, reefs near sea walls, wrecks and canal areas as these areas hold good prey of jack fish. 
• If you are wondering which tackle will work best for you, choose a high power monofilament reel and choose your reel keeping in view the size of the fish (i.e, 20 lb. to 40 lb). You can cheek Fishing Nice fishing reels.
• Jack fish are mostly attracted to fast movements, so retrieve quickly, and give fast jerks no matter which tackle you are using.
• Try to use live baits and lures for jack fishing like mullet, herring, pilchards, squids, flies, bait fish, prawns however for artificial lures you can go for Fishing Nice Fly Fishing Flies Kit and Rechargeable Twitching Fish Lure both are the best choice or you can use jigs, spoons, top water plugs.

• Catching the jack fish does not mean you are done, you must have to handled it carefully. Make sure you do not handle them from the dorsal side as there are sharp spines, do not grab them from jaws and lips. Do’not forget them to revive in water before releasing.