Caranx hippos
Also Called: Crevalle Jack, Couvalli Jack, Common Jack, Black-Tailed Trevally, Black Cavalli, Yellow Cavalli, Jack
A powerful, predatory fish fish that enjoys the warm water temperatures in the Hilton Head Island, South Carolina waters. Jack Crevalle's colors range from brassy green to blue or bluish-black on top, becoming silvery white or golden on their sides. Jack Crevalle are an agressive and sporty fish to catch in the summer months by sight casting up top. Jacks can be found both inshore and offshore. While they can be challenging to hook up, Jacks provide quite a memorable fight for both beginners as well as advanced anglers.
Jack Crevalle are most abundant in Hilton Head during the summber months within the lowcountry estuaries and tidal creeks, then return to deeper waters offshore as the fall season arrives.
While the Jack Crevalle is an awesome sporty fish to catch, they are not good eating. For this reason, Jack Crevalle are strickly a catch and release species.
Jack Crevalle primarily in habits deeper offshore waters for the majority of the year. However, during the summber months we will find Jacks schooled up in the inshore estruaries and tidal creeks of the lowcountry. Most Jacks can be found hunting in shcools, but larger Jacks can be on their own hunting independently.
Estuaries
River mouths
Bays
Sounds
Inlets
Bait: Artificials if sight casting Jacks is usually a good bet. Jacks can also be caught on bottom with a natural food supply - poggies, squid, shrimp, small fish, etc.
Approach: Look for Jacks schooling up around slack tides. You will be looking for their fins on top of the water. When sight casting, cast your lure ahead of the fish and work your lure in front of the Jacks to increase your odds of hooking up.
Tackle: A standard rod and reel with artificial lure or with a weighted circle hook is best when Jack Crevalle fishing. You can catch them with a fly lure as well, though the precision casting required to draw Jack Crevalle to the surface makes this method more challenging.
