Saltwater · Year-round in South Florida and the Keys; best in warm months over reefs

Yellow Jack

Carangoides bartholomaei

A sleek reef jack of South Florida and the Keys, recognised by its yellow tail and fins. Unlike most jacks it is a good table fish, and juveniles are famous for riding with stingrays and sharks over the flats and patch reefs. The genus is often listed as Caranx, but the ledger name Carangoides stands here.

Seasons · Peak

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Yellow Jack — Photo: Dugmore, A. Radclyffe; Evermann, Barton Warren; Jordan, David Starr, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Yellow tail and a yellow wash on the fins
Silvery body with a golden sheen and an olive-green back
Deeply forked tail and a streamlined, fairly deep body
No dark spot on the gill cover or pectoral-fin base
Juveniles show faint dark bars and stay close to rays

Habits

Cruises reefs singly or in small schools
Shadows stingrays and sharks to snatch prey they disturb
Feeds on small fish, shrimp and other reef animals
Juveniles ride with rays and under jellyfish for protection
Wary in clear water and often taken by surprise near structure

Distribution

Tampa, FL · Florida★ Primary

Florida Keys, FL · Florida★ Primary

Daytona Beach, FL · FloridaCommon

Where to find them

Reefs and wrecks off the Florida Keys
Patch reefs off South Florida
Atlantic reef edges off Florida in warm months

Where they live

Offshore reefs and wrecksPatch reefs and reef edges in clear waterOpen water near rays, sharks and floating structure

How to catch them

Jigs and live bait over reefs and wrecks Boat

Rig: Medium spinning or conventional outfit, jig or live-bait hook fished over reef and wreck structure

Bait/lure: Jigs, live pilchards

Key tip: Let the bait drift naturally in the current over the reef — yellow jacks are wary of heavy leaders.

Drifting pilchards and shrimp over patch reefs Boat

Rig: Light to medium rod, free-lined or lightly weighted pilchard or shrimp drifted over patch reefs where fish shadow rays and sharks

Bait/lure: Pilchards, shrimp

Key tip: Watch for rays and sharks crossing the patches — cast ahead of them, where yellow jacks follow.

Best baits & lures

Live pilchards and small baitfishLive shrimp drifted over patch reefsVertical and casting jigs tipped with bait

Techniques for Yellow Jack →

Baseline setup

Rod: Medium 7 ft spinning rod
Line: 15-20 lb mono or braid with a fluorocarbon leader
Terminal: Jigs, 2/0-4/0 live-bait hooks, light split shot

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 12-24 in (30-61 cm), 1-5 lb (0.5-2.3 kg); large fish to about 34 in (86 cm) and 17 lb (7.7 kg)

On the table

Good — one of the best-eating jacks, with firm white flesh when fresh.

Similar species

Banded RudderfishBanded rudderfish, especially juveniles, has bold dark bars and a blunter head; yellow jack is cleaner silver-gold with a yellow tail and no bold bars as an adult

Crevalle JackCrevalle jack has a black pectoral-base spot and a steep, blunt head; yellow jack has yellow fins and tail and no pectoral spot

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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