Jack crevalle are often underappreciated but are one of the toughest targets an angler will encounter. These tenacious juggernauts are not sought after by most anglers.
The majority of jacks are caught by anglers fishing for trout, redfish, snook and other species. Small jack crevalle are even considered “trash” fish by many anglers. Once they hook one over 5 pounds, they usually have a new appreciation of these “bulldogs” of the sea.
During the summer months, it’s not uncommon to see large schools of big jack crevalle along local beaches when tarpon fishing. They cruise in packs, pursuing schools of baitfish. While even small jacks can put up a feisty battle, larger members of the species are incredibly challenging.
A big jack on the west coast will run about 15-20 pounds and can put up an awe-inspiring fight. It’s not uncommon for a 10- to 15-pound fish to wage a long battle even on a 12-weight fly rod used for tarpon.
Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate these marauders, and while I don’t usually target them, I never turn down a cast at a big fish. When you encounter large schools of fish, the best choice of lures is a popper. There’s something about the disturbance on the surface that drives them wild. Catching one on a fly meant for a tarpon is another challenge, but there’s a trick to enticing them.
On numerous occasions, I have fished the edges of a school of feeding jacks only to have them inspect and turn down my flies. After a little experimenting, I found the “secret” was to toss the fly into the center of the school and to strip as fast as possible. The fact that the fly is surrounded by jacks seems to kick in competition and the fly is usually taken after only a couple of strips. Once the hook is set, jack crevalle make long head-shaking runs before settling into a circling pattern where they use their wide bodies to put up as much resistance as possible. The battle is usually won when the angler is able to get their heads out of the water, robbing them of much of their power. Even after an exhausting battle, they are easily revived and seem relatively unscathed by the experience.
On occasion, local anglers will encounter big jacks schooled under local bridges to the Gulf. They will attack a plug, popper or other noisy lure with a ferocity that’s awe inspiring but are tough to control before they can make a run under the structure and are lost on the barnacle-studded bridge pilings.
A trick anglers can employ is having a fellow angler toss a hook-less ‘teaser” under the bridge to pull them away from the structure. Then it’s possible to get them under “control” before they can reach structure. Jacks don’t have teeth, so a heavy leader isn’t necessary, but they don’t seem to be particularly leader shy. When one is hooked, it needs to be fought just like a tarpon, with maximum pressure from the time of the take until they are ready to land. When they travel the beach, they are usually in large schools; while inshore, they are more likely to roam in pairs or small schools.
If you think jacks aren’t worth the effort, cast a popper to a school of big fish sometime and try to keep it away from them. I guarantee you’ll have a new appreciation for this underappreciated predator.
