Crevalle Cartel

Mr. Bait Fish, we’d like to introduce you to Mr. Jack Crevalle.  Every now and then, every angler needs a full on jack attack! The water next to the seawall was perfectly still in the golden hour prior to sunset. I cast with precision and landed my plug only inches from the concrete wall. I rhythmically twitched my wrist as I rapidly worked the lure across the serene surface back towards me. To my pleasant surprise I was nearly floored by the resounding explosion of a large fish thunderously inhaling my black lure. Holding on for dear life, my drag screamed as the fish raced for the nearest piling.

I could feel every move of his mighty, thumping tail and knew then that I was hooked into a bulldog. After a fierce battle, I held up the twenty something pound silvery slab and admired its brilliant green and gold hues, large sickle like tail, and gaping, hungry mouth. Looking into the mighty fish’s eyes, I got the impression he thought he had the winning outcome. I admired the fish for a moment more and enjoyed watching him swim away.

Jack crevalle (Caranx hippos) can attain monstrous weights of over 40 pounds, with an astonishing world record over 50! The jack's range consists mainly of the coastal areas of the western Atlantic from as far north as Novia Scotia to the boundaries of Uruguay, though they are most commonly found throughout the Gulf of Mexico, especially along the west coast of Florida. Adults are comfortable inhabiting areas with water temperatures ranging from 70 to 90 °F, which translates into just about everywhere in Florida. Peak spawning activity occurs offshore from March through September.

Jack crevalle have dark, oily meat and are not on the top of the palatable list, thus receiving very little commercial pressure. They are however, prized as one of the hardest fighting game fish that you’ll ever cross paths with. Believe me when I tell you, when you’ve battled a beast of a crevalle to the boat, you know you’ve been in a nasty fight. Typically, fish over 30 pounds will still pull hard at the end of an hour. And forget about them laying on their side and just giving up; surrender is not a word in a big jack's vocabulary.

Jack crevalle are experts at cornering baitfish and relentlessly pounding them into total submission, creating a frothy top water spectacle unlike any other. As the fall bait run continues, you’ll likely see schools showering through the air. When you do, I would bet there’s a pack of ferocious crevalle hot on their tails.

When it comes to appreciating jack crevalle, consider sport and respect the fish’s stamina rather than edibility. Though far from the most glamorous species, crevalle are prime targets for anglers who thoroughly enjoy the sport of angling. These fish strike with ferociousness and provide dashing runs. Their enduring, drumming head shakes are telltale signs that they mean business!

Jack crevalles characteristically hunt in killing packs and wreak havoc on unsuspecting schools of baitfish. That same frenzy behavior spells pure excitement for both inshore and offshore anglers. There’s nothing like tossing a lure or bait into a seething mass and having it instantly destroyed by one of these brutes.

Jacks are talented hunters and have perfected the art of trapping their prey in areas where means of escape are restricted. Almost any submerged structure with a defined edge may serve this purpose. Seawalls, docks, inlets and the surf are all excellent places to find them. Jacks are voracious predators and when in the feeding mode, will gorge on anything they can catch, though their favored prey is mullet!

Watch mullet jumping with utter futility in an attempt to escape capture and you’ll witness one of nature’s most brutal displays of aggression. In coastal waters, hunting jacks will work in unison to herd loosely packed schools of migrating baitfish into a tight mass, then rush in from all sides to methodically pick off individual victims.

Jack crevalle can be found in nearly any saltwater environment from shallow brackish to deep blue water. They will swim alone, in pairs, in small marauding packs and in large formations. Crossing paths with a large school can be absolutely thrilling! In the killing mode, a hundred or more large crevalle will devastate anything in their path, leaving behind nothing more than glistening scales and foamy water. Couple that with a reverberating roar, and you’ve found yourself in the middle of a full on jack attack!

Though seldom reveled in the spotlight, crevalle have been the unlikely stars of many a fishing trip. We all know a full on jack bite perks things right up on that otherwise slow day. At the very least, jacks provide visiting anglers with memories of experiencing South Florida’s light tackle action at its finest. These fish are known for long, punishing runs, quick direction changes and pure raw power. These traits keep anglers on their feet and moving quickly around the boat, dock, or shoreline.

Jack crevalle are a superb light tackle species that can easily be taken on spinning, fly or conventional equipment. And as long as your bait is, or mimics a mullet, you’re in good shape. Crevalle are not shy about being aggressive. Lures should be retrieved at a rapid pace without pausing or stopping. For a real thrill, throw a noisy topwater plug. These fish are notorious for crushing surface baits with violent authority. The trick is to keep the lure moving, and moving fast! Like most purebred predators, jacks tend to lose interest in anything that doesn't play cat & mouse.

School fish are typically all the same size, ranging from 3 to 5 pounds, but start to pair off after reaching about 10 pounds. The largest are usually found offshore, though it’s not unheard of to run across 20 plus pound crevalle in many local estuaries. When you do, clear your schedule!

There is nothing clever or fancy about rigging for jacks. They will smash anything any other fish will eat, only faster and harder! Spoons, plugs, jigs, and flies are all fair game. Jacks primarily feed during the day but will also eat at night. They feed deep and shallow, and will often be in the eating mood when nothing else is. There are times however, when you need to apply some technique to consistently hook up. One of these times is when they congregate along concrete seawalls and bridge structures.

I recommend 12 to 15 pound line and 30 pound leader to help deal with sharp edges. A common 3/0 Eagle Claw L253 hook is ideal. Attach a small split-shot about a foot from the hook and toss a live mullet as close to the edge as possible. When the bait gets slammed, and it will, take up all the slack line and set the hook! If it’s a real big jack, say over 10 pounds, you may need to do a little bit of maneuvering with your boat to pull the fish as far from the destructive structure as possible before he realizes he’s in trouble, and decides to totally freak out.

Jacks are powerful fish that fight hard and run fast, so it’s critical you turn their heads and get them away from structure before they bust you off. Using constant side pressure will give you a tactical advantage and will greatly decrease the length of the fight. Some anglers prefer PowerPro over mono to help horse big crevalle away from jagged hazards.

It often pays to scout an area before beginning to fish. Use your eyes and ears to detect where feeding activity may be occurring. If you hear loud pops in the shadows under a bridge or if you see schools of mullet scattering for their lives, those are obvious indications that you should begin your search.

Along with the previously mentioned areas, inlets are also focal points worthy of your attention. The ebb and flow of tidal movements flush huge amounts of bait through inlets where educated jacks are often found waiting with open mouths. Not only are crevalles generally larger here, but they’re often willing to pounce on just about anything that moves.

Practically all South Florida near shore waters hold large numbers of jacks. Throughout the late fall these fish hunt up and down the beach, pounding the migrating mullet schools. Look for bird activity and surface disturbances to reveal the location of the bait and you’ll likely find the action. Anyone who has witnessed it will tell you, a large school of feeding jacks is an exciting sight to see, and one that’s very hard to miss!

Unfortunately, the value of jacks is underestimated by the average angler, as most fishermen simply evaluate their catch by food value and then size. But if you’re after pure enjoyment, then a big jack is a formidable opponent that’s hard to beat. Catching & releasing crevalle also helps perfect the skills required to become a consistently successful light tackle angler.

Regardless of size, jack crevalle strike hard, fight long, and quickly change direction, which definitely gets your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing. They may devour your mullet and run straight at you or smash your bucktail and shoot for the horizon, leaving you watching your line rapidly disappear. Jack crevalle don’t get the hoopla that many glamorous species get, but in reality, they’ve contributed more to sport fishermen’s fun and skill than almost any other species. Pound for pound jack crevalle are one of the hardest fighting fish that swim, and every time one is hooked it will test the limits of an angler’s skill level and tackle. They are also one of the most prolific species and always perk up otherwise uneventful days. As an added bonus, the techniques and tactics used to catch jacks will also entice more sought after species.

What more could you ask for than a fish that’s always willing to bite and pound for pound pulls like a bulldozer! If I were you; I’d make it a point this fall to meet Mr. Jack Crevalle.

Bio for Capt. Bob Smith

Capt. Bob grew up in the fifties and spent most of his time in Hollywood Beach, FL. In the late sixties, he managed the Dania Fishing Pier for a few years, then moved his family to the Panhandle. Ten years later he returned to South Florida and finally settled in Sarasota. Since, he has been a full time fishing guide and specializes in light tackle fishing on both the Gulf and The Bay. Capt. Bob Smith runs 26’ Grady White Chase center console and fishes out of New Pass Bait & Grill. For more info contact:
Capt. Bob Smith at 941.366.2159
Or visit www.Sarasota-Fla-Fishing.com