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!