The International Game Fish Association (I.G.F.A.) recognizes a great fish even though many fishermen don't.
We're talking about the jack crevalle, commonly known as a jack, or in other places as El Toro--Spanish for "The Bull."
How often have you seen an angler pick up and move off when a school of jacks invaded his area? Too often, we'd bet.
By moving, they're missing out on a confrontation with one of the gamest of game fish and one of the strongest battlers that swims.
All this probably goes back to the days when conventional wisdom said, "if you can't eat it, it ain't worth catching." Unfortunately, this thinking still pervades in many areas of the country and world. We still hear anglers in the Keys, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, and Mexico Beach cuss when talking about the "lowly" jack crevalle which are quite abundant throughout Gulf waters year-around.
Found in the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Central and South America, including the Gulf of Mexico, the jack has an oblong, compressed body, a blunt, steep forehead, and a large, deeply forked tail.
The back of the jack ranges from bluish black to bluish green, the sides are silvery, and the flanks, along with the tail and fins, show up yellowish.
Along Florida's Gulf Coast, jacks are frequently found in deep water--particularly around offshore reefs--as well as off the beaches, in the bays, and in tributaries leading into bay waters.
It's a voracious predator and feeds on smaller baitfish.
A common sight to saltwater anglers is a school of jacks attacking a pod of baitfish from below while gulls dive-bomb the bait from above. When this happens, simply move to within casting distance and toss whatever fly, lure, or bait you happen to have on at the time because a jack, when in a feeding frenzy, will usually nail anything that crosses its nose. Generally, when casting a lure or streamer fly into a school of feeding jacks, retrieve at a fast pace without pausing, stopping, or jerking.
Since most of the jacks you're likely to encounter will weigh between two and five pounds, you really don't need heavy tackle. The same light or ultra-light rod and reel you'd use for trout and school-sized redfish will be more than adequate.
Line size can range from 6- to 12-pound test. But, since jacks have sharp teeth, we'd advise a short piece of 15- to 25-pound shocker leader between your line and lure.
The jack crevalle, whether it be a little two-pounder, or a giant 30-pounder, will strike hard and fast. If you don't have the drag system on your reel set at between one-fourth and one-third the breaking strength of your line, you're risking a break-off.
When you meet up with a jack, you're in for a scrap. Although it's not a jumper like a tarpon, ladyfish, or--sometimes--a snook, the jack will take off on long, powerful runs similar to those of a bonefish or permit. It's a much more spectacular brawler than, say, a trout. And, in the "heart" department, it takes a back seat to no fish.
As tablefare, the jack crevalle is not highly prized, probably the reason why so many anglers turn up their collective noses when hooking them.
However, as a sport fish, it has few equals. The largest jack ever caught on hook and line, according to I.G.F.A., is a 54-pound, 7-ounce beauty taken by Tom Gibson off Port Michel, Gabon, in 1982.
Those on Florida's Gulf Coast who'd like to test some jacks might try the deeper canals and on the grass flats where you'd normally look for trout. They're also found during the warmer months in bays, passes, and just off the beaches.
When you do run across a school of jacks, why not slow down and give them some attention? While they may not be delectable, they just may be one of the most exciting things you've ever had on your line.
Copyright (c) 1996 Herb Allen. All rights reserved.
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