Crevalle Jack

Crevalle Jack is an inshore/coastal game fish species. The best fishing technique to catch Crevalle Jack is drift fish or bottom fishing along wrecks, finger inlets and channels using Finger Mullet or artificial lures. Live bait, top water lures, plugs and jigs are all effective for fishing Crevalle Jack. Crevalle Jack can be fished year round.

Crevalle Jack

Region: Northeast, South
Habitat: Ocean

How to identify Crevalle Jack

Crevalle jacks have a round, black marking near the bottom of their pectoral fin, whereas other jacks don’t. These fish have an elongated black marking running vertically to their gills. They also have a line that runs down to the bottom of their tail fin. Horse-eye jacks, which are similar to the crevalle jack, lack a pectoral fin.

Where to catch Crevalle Jack

Crevalle jacks are only found in the western waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They live in the waters of Novia Scotia, Canada, the Gulf of Mexico, and at times in the West Indies. These fish are considered the “common jacks” of waters near the shoreline. They are capable of enduring water salinities that fluctuate wildly, such as those found in reefs, harbors, bays, shallow flats, the openings of rivers, and inland coastal rivers. Crevalle jack can be fished year round.

Range: Northeast, South
crevalle jack range map

The following are habitats where you can catch Crevalle Jack:

How to catch Crevalle Jack

The best fishing techniques for catching Crevalle Jack is to drift fish or bottom fish along wrecks, finger inlets, and channels using finger mullet or artificial lures. Other methods for catching Crevalle Jack include trolling, surfcasting, spinning, and fly fishing. When using lures, retrievals should be fast-paced without pausing/stopping. Having a consistent and fast retrieval is key to hooking Crevalle Jack.

The following are effective fishing methods and techniques for catching Crevalle Jack:

Best Lures, Bait & Tackle to catch Crevalle Jack

Anglers fish for crevalle jacks using artificial lures, such as plugs and jigs. Live bait also works very well, especially finger mullet.

The following are fishing lures, bait and tackle that can be used to catch Crevalle Jack: