It doesn’t matter if you call it horse mackerel, beach tuna, black mackerel, or just plain old Jack, the crevalle jack is one of the funniest and most commonly found pelagic fish in the salty waters of Mississippi. These medium-sized coastal maulers are fun to catch, hearty, and taste great.

What is a Jack?

Classified as Caranx hippopotamuses, the crevalle jack belongs to the same family as pompano and amberjack. A fast-swimming predatory fish, jack mackerel hunt, usually in pods, in the waters above reefs and in the open ocean for anything large enough to fit in their mouths. Its color is generally silvery with a greenish blue to golden green back. They are quickly identified by their squashed face, two sets of dorsal fins, a black spot above their gills, and another on their stubby Trex-style pectoral fins. For me they have always had a rather Marlon Brando-style cup, with the bulging forehead, the round snout and the small jaw.

These hearty sport fish are found from Nova Scotia to Uruguay, with some of their largest populations found in the Gulf of Mexico. Their spawning in Mississippi Sound runs from March to September, making it the best time of year to find them in the hot summer months.

Reg.

Crevalle jacks are so common in the Gulf that DMR maintains no current limits on their take by recreational anglers with a saltwater license in state waters south of I-10. Juvenile fish will have very Sheepshead-like stripes and a large eye relative to their body size and should be avoided. The typical Jack found in Mississippi waters weighs between 10 and 15 pounds with occasional 20 pound jacks found. However, there are some oversized Jacks poking around out there. The current state record is 48 lbs. 0.5 oz. fish caught in 1985 by Brian D. Pelton. The current fly record is for a very respectable 28 lbs. 450g fish caught during the summer of 2005 by Dwayne Armes. Both compare favorably to the IGFA world record, which since 2010 stands at 66lb 2oz.

tips and tricks

These guys are found throughout the inshore/nearshore areas of the Mississippi Sound and it is not uncommon to find them fishing in Back Bay Biloxi moving into brackish water. As such, you can find them near structures, over reefs, and around anchored ships and boats in coastal harbors. It is common for small boat and kayak anglers to catch them in the rapid cuts and holes around the barrier islands.

These large pompanos like to travel in packs of sea lions that round up small groups of bait fish on the surface and incite a slaughter. This habit of Mr. Jack and his gang means you can get good results drawing a school of these baiting critters. Alternatively, be sure to bring a strong pair of binoculars in the water and keep an eye out for nearby surface commotion, which will often lead you to the scene of these Jack attacks.

Fishing around shrimp and pogey boat activity in late summer brings good results for Jacks, as does foraging on shallow water reefs. Judging from their food sources, minnows (especially pogey and mullet) and shrimp of any variety perform well against these silver-bellied battle fish. As such, any bright, fast-moving bait, real or artificial, is almost guaranteed to catch the attention of one or three.

When they strike, they strike with speed and power, producing some of the most fun fishing in nearshore waters. They often plummet to the bottom of the sea when set and this causes those using weak hooks to loosen Jack’s grip. Bent or broken hooks are common when encountering these types, so be wise in your rigging choices.

While many catch and release these toughs, the meat is flavorful and can be grilled, fried, or baked. Be sure to bring your relish though, as they are usually a bit bland.

Better yet, if you have a lot of Jack’s steaks laying around, just drop us a line and we’ll take them off your hands.