Species Spotlight II - Crevalle Jack
Crevalle Jacks are one of my all time favorite fish to catch. Sometimes reffered to as yellow jacks, they are all bite and just a little (grunting) bark. These fish are one a mission. Eat everything in their path and then go find something else to eat. Large schools of smaller jacks can be seen splashing and churning the waters down sea walls and around docks and bridges. They are great fun to catch and are found on all Florida coasts and even on the offshore reefs.
As far as eating them goes, well I have heard mixed results. Some people swear by them and actually eat them raw, referring to them as a “poor man’s yellowfin tuna. Others will soak the meat in milk over night and fry them up. I take the hook out and let them go.
You can catch these fish on everything that swims: shrimp, live bait, jigs, bucktails (my favorite), fly, and hard baits. If the fish are schooled up, they will often fight over the baits. I have had successful days of fishing where I have only caught these jacks and it can wear you out more than a day of redfish or snook. So for some rod bending, drag screaming action, don’t overlook these guys while fishing the waters of Florida!
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This is actually one of the few fish that I’ve caught in any numbers that I’ve never eaten! The next time I catch one I’ll have to try it. I’m a fan of utilizing under-utilized fishes and this is a very under-utilized fish in our area!
One of the interesting things about the Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos) is that it tolerates a very wide range of salinities. You can catch them in the open waters of the Gulf and Atlantic on both sides of the basin as well as WAY up freshwater rivers. I once was at the landing in downtown Milton Florida, well up the Blackwater River. There was a group of tourists there feeding the double-hand sized bluegills that lived right under the boardwalk. They got that big from the tourist muffins that were often thrown to them… Well, we’re watching these cute bream when all of a sudden three 40 pound class Crevalles bum rush the scene! One of them inhales a pounder bluegill in one gulp as they stream out of there, just leaving a trail of blood and scales twinkling to the bottom in his wake…
It was awesome.
Small Crevalles are often confused with Blue Runners (Caranx crysos). The bright yellow tail as you mentioned in your species spotlight should be a good clue as to IDing the Crevalle. As a result of this confusion, they are often called “hard tails” as well as “yellow tails”. Once they pass a few pounds though, it’s hard to mistake the Crevalle Jack for the Blue Runner. There are two other species, the Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) and the Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) that exhibit yellow tails at small sizes, usually less than 6 inches. Their underslung mouths, high bodies and lack of scutes on the caudal peduncle are what you need to look for when IDing these two species at this size. Tiny Permit also might actually be orange under their pectoral and belly areas.
So, have fun with these awesome fish and if you eat some sometime let me know how they are. I’m really just waiting for the species spotlight on Hardhead Catfish so I can pass along some recipes and try to dispell this undeserved reputation for not tasting good… It’s my personal quest…
Don’t judge me.
Beware of cigatura poisoning…me no want