PRIZE CONTENDER
world’s most-obliging If there were an award for the would be a frontrunner game fish, the jack crevalle
The world’s most obliging game fish
Anyone who has caught a jack crevalle will confirm that, pound for pound, these powerful gamefish are right up there with the toughest fish that swim. Jacks, as they are widely referred throughout their range, will readily take almost any type of lure or bait you manage to get in front of them, and once hooked they’re guaranteed to put a healthy bend in your rod, making the clutch on the reel scream in protest as, effortlessly, they strip many yards of line out through the rod rings, on the first of several long runs.
Add the fact that jacks are widely available at many popular tourist destinations visited by anglers on family holidays, who can choose to target them either afloat and from the shore, and I’d say that here we have a strong contender for the title of the world’s most obliging species of game fish.
Jack crevalle (Caranx hippos), are classified within the jack family carangidae, which also includes the mighty giant trevally. These two species are very similar in appearance and, having caught plenty of both, I would argue that when talking in terms of power, both are equal.
The giant trevally is strictly an Indo-Pacific species, whereas jack crevalle are widely distributed across the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic. In the west Atlantic they range from Nova Scotia, Canada, south to Uruguay, and Portugal to Angola in the east Atlantic.
The average size of jack crevalle caught by anglers is between 5-15lb. A 25-pounder, while not especially rare at some destinations, should be regarded as a specimen. The current IGFA all-tackle record for this species is held by a monster that weighed 66lb 2oz, caught at Barra Do Dande in Angola in 2010.
A few years ago a separate genus, long-fin jack crevalle (Caranx fischeri) was identified. Previously regarded as being the same species, these long-fins are found mostly off the coast of West Africa. In addition, anglers fishing off the western coast of Central America often catch Pacific jack crevalle (Caranx canines), and these, too, are very similar in appearance.
TOP TACTICS
If you have ever taken a spinning rod on holiday anywhere in the Caribbean and wandered along a local beach casting lures at first light, and experienced a savage take followed by a long searing run, with the fish ultimately breaking your line or even spooling you, then it’s a better than even chance you had hooked a jack crevalle.
Snapped swivels, straightened links, split rings wrenched open with ease and the standard hooks fitted to most lures bent straight, are further indications of an encounter with jack crevalle. Be sure to upgrade all items of tackle, and if your knots are not 100 per cent, well, you’ll soon find out!
Jacks will readily take any type of lure, but poppers, sub-surface stick baits and small metal casting jigs are especially effective.
Fly-fishing is especially productive. Whenever you find yourself in a position to present a fly at a feeding school of jacks, a take is all but guaranteed.
Dead and cut baits work well, but livebaits can be deadly. In many instances jacks consistently taking your precious livebaits intended for other species, such as tarpon, can be a real nuisance.
Always remain vigilant to signs of feeding shoals of jacks, such as birds working schools of bait along the shoreline or over a reef. A shoal species, jacks can be encountered almost anywhere including open sandy beaches, rock headlands, piers and breakwaters, river mouths and even several miles inland up tropical rivers.
DESTINATIONS
As I have already mentioned, you can expect to catch jack crevalle at any of the popular holiday destinations throughout the Caribbean, especially Cuba, Mexico and, of course, Florida.
In the eastern Atlantic, Gambia and Cape Verde are two popular holiday destinations where jack crevalle provide great sport. Staying in Africa, some of the biggest jack crevalle anywhere are found by anglers fishing at more adventurous destinations such a Guinea Bissau, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Angola.
In the western Atlantic the biggest jacks I have encountered have been in Belize, Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica, where on certain days you can catch as many 20lb jack crevalle as your tackle or arms can take. ■
Dave Lewis’s recently published book, ‘Destination Angler 2’, features 26 beautifully illustrated chapters covering fishing for bucketlist species including jack crevalle and several other jack/ trevally species, at destinations around the world. Cost is £30 plus £3.99 p&p to a UK address.