The term Jackfish, often shortened to Jack, refers to the Carangidae fish family, which includes various species of pompano, jack mackerels, scads, and various jack. These incredibly powerful predatory fish are found throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as in the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean; depending on where you dive, you might come across one or more of the 151 known jack species. Here are some basics that will help you to get to know these fish better.
Greater Amberjack
The largest of all the jacks, the amberjack is one that is simply stunning to encounter. Sometimes growing to an incredible six feet long, this fish is capable of attaining great speeds and is normally found at coastal dive sites, particularly along walls. Not usually seen in shallow water, it prefers to remain at depths between 20 and 70 meters, and has been recorded at a maximum depth of 360 meters.
Threadfin Jack
Inhabiting tropical Pacific waters, from Baja California to the Galapagos, this fish is sometimes called the thread pompano. It grows to just about two feet long, and is usually encountered along reefs and inside estuaries, although it tends to aggregate in much deeper water for spawning. The fish is named in honor of its long, elegant fins, and it has a beautiful silvery-blue colored dorsal side with a much lighter colored ventral side. The largest of these jacks can be found at depths of fifty meters and beyond, while smaller examples are found throughout the water column.
Horse-Eye Jack
Sometimes referred to as Big Eye Jacks and nicknamed Bigeyes, Horse Eye Jacks have blunt faces and sweeping, bright yellow forked tails. Juveniles have dark colored bars decorating their bodies, while adults are a solid bluish-silver. If you encounter one of these fish on its own, it is likely to take evasive action; however, if you encounter a school of the fish, they’ll very likely crowd around you and investigate your bubbles. They are found throughout the water column to a depth of about 140 meters and are exclusive to the subtropical Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.
Rainbow Runners
Believe it or not, these fantastic fish are members of the Jack family. Sometimes referred to as Hawaiian Salmon or Spanish Jacks, they inhabit tropical and subtropical waters across the globe. With long, elegant bodies and forked yellow tails, these fish grow to be about two feet long and are easily identified by their striking colors, with their ventral sides being white, and gradually darkening from green to blue to olive along the dorsal ridge. The fish have light blue stripes that run along the sides of their bodies, and they flash beautifully in the sunlight. They can be seen in both shallow and deep water; they have been found at depths to 164 meters.
Many of these jacks will join schools that include other fish such as trevally, tuna, mackerel, and barracuda. If you are lucky, you can watch them as they prey on smaller fish, or as they dig for crustaceans along the reef. Chances are, you’ll encounter at least a few jack species throughout your lifetime; populations are currently healthy and abundant, and with careful management, they will stay that way.
Comments