I just convert mine into red snapper.

If someone caught one and cooked it like that I would give it a try. I haven’t ever caught one under 15#.

If I need some Shark bait or something, sure-Those sand bar tunas get me shaking my fists when they pop my lure on a trout rod

Jeff,

Would you mind if I asked where you have caught them over 15#?

Mainly off the Breton and Chandelier Islands. Other than that here and there they seem to like bigger open water like Galveston Bay. I haven’t ever been anywhere that you could target them. They are occasionally caught.

I hate it when on the first wade of the morning you throw out and get either a Jack or Bull Red. Trout usually have a first light bite that lasts maybe a hour or so. Life is too short to be messing with either a Jack or Bull Red while the trout are going off.

I have never seen any small ones caught or at least that I can remember.

If you want a fight, a Jack can hang pound for pound with almost anything. If its outside the bite window we will catch him. During a bite window he gets broke off. Once in a while you see a school of them feeding, bait flying everywhere. They will destroy a top water.

I thought I had a pic or two but I don’t. Once we caught one that went about 25#. It took a hour to get it in on a trout rod. Seemed like it went on forever. I had to spell the guy who hooked it. He said his hands were cramping. Once it got the braid on the back of my leg and cut me a little. He wanted it for a photo. We got it shin deep water when it finally gave up. Then it came unhooked. I pushed it shallower, grabbed it by the tail then got the Boga on it. We got the photo. Revived it and it swam away.

If I can get my picks on here, I'll load them. My family and I took a guided trip for them off the coast of Alabama about 5 years ago and I caught one that if we would have brought it in instead of releasing it, it would have been an Alabama state record. We caught two a piece that day chasing shrimp boats while they were cleaning off their decks, all around 40 pounds and two of those in a day is about all you can handle. My second one broke the anti reverse out of the reel I was using and it was heavy gear.

Those are some great fishing stories - wish I could have been there with you guys! I first started catching jacks when I lived in Hawaii for a job and I think they are a blast to catch. Tangentially - the jacks in Hawaii (blue jack (papio in Hawaiian)) are superb eating.

There may not be many to catch around where I will be fishing, but I am going to keep my eyes peeled and try anyway. Someone in another thread mentioned the north jetty at Aransas Pass but I am worried about being able to make it through a day on that side of the inlet. It is a short boat trip over, the jetty is paved, but there are no nearby restrooms... Old age has its pitfalls.

Nevertheless, I bought a real nice Yeti folding camp chair that I can sling across a shoulder so I that can sit when I need a rest so we will see how things go.

Thanks for the great posts. Just reading them has me wanting to go fishing!

About 5 lbs is as big as I get into jacks in the Everglades.. they can sure save a slow fishing day.. will never forget fishing Haulover Inlet, from the sea wall one night, when the big ones in the 20+ range came through. A large flock of pelicans that were gorging on mullet packed up and left as soon as the school surfaced.. chomping.. the sound of their jaws snapping shut was enough to scare the birds off.. always wondered if they knew they would be missing their feet if they had stayed.

Huh, the only ones I've ever caught are bigguns offshore. I gave an honest try at filleting them, but just had red, bloody hunks of meat that didn't look worthwhile.

Would be willing to try filleting & cooking up smaller ones like that

I have caught a few over 20 at South Padre, but never even considered trying to eat them. The smaller one got turned into cut bait.

Caught some nice ones in the Gulf launching from Port Aransas.

I'm kinda like the tax man, I might take a bite if I'm hungry, but I prefer snapper...

That is a beautiful fish!

Plus #1.

Jacks are fun in the right situations...but if we are talking about "if you have the Guts" nothing compares to their cousins in the Trevally family.

Tevally and Jack Crevalle both belong to the same family, Carangidae. The mighty giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) is highly regarded among anglers for their sheer size and tenacity. They are one of the largest species within the Carangidae family and can weigh well over 100 pounds up to 300 pounds have been reported.

Imagine standing on sandy beach with a fly round in hand doing battle with the Giant Trevally. Few things in this life can rival that...if you have the guts

My personal best GT was "only" 50 pounds and I can't imagine 300 pounds of that fury.



My personal best Bluefin Trevally was also one of the largest ever seen on this South Pacific island going 24 lbs.

Beautiful fish.

I’m sure I’ll never get to he opportunity, but GTs have always been at the top of my wish list.

I hope you do...and if you do for sure take it. Nothing out there can compare IMO.

Unfortunately, my age probably means I'll never get another shot.

There's a lot of weird superstitions and cultural taboos surrounding eating certain fish. In general, most fish taste like fish.

If you're talking cat food fish, or fertilizer fish, then probably so.