Mangrove Jack

[Gordie]

Just like to hear a little info on this species.

The Jack spend time in the estuaries growing and then move off shore.

I have never heard of them being caught of targeted. Do you fellas who fish off shore ever haul them in or are they given an other name when they become a reef fish.

Would love to hear a few comments on this.

Gordon

[nathan dumschat]

I caught 4 last year over 80 cm while targeting Red Emperor . I have heard of them schooling up on shallow reefs by scuba guys. As you could well imagine a 88cm jack go bloody hard and are probably some of the unstoppables you hook onto at times . The eating quality really deteriorates as they get bigger. They curl up in the pan and are like rubber, not good eating like the estuary ones .
Hope this helps

Nathan

[Gordie]

Good stuf Nathan, I sat in on a talk recently about fishing for Snapper off shore and there was a general opinion to fish light. Jack would give you a shake up.

Gordon

[nathan dumschat]

HI Gordie,

You will definitely catch alot more fish on the light gear thats for sure ,but there is certain ares were you will get done by every fish if not using the heavy stuff. Fishing light is way more fun but dont expect to stop a 80 cm jack on 20lb its just not going to happen.Im lucky to stop them on 50 lb

Nathan

[Nicko_Cairns]

I guess this is similar to some smallmouth nannygai and spangles that can do the same thing, but not all of them. I've yet to have a reef jack (offshore mangrove jack) do this, although the bigger ones can be a little dry. I've heard of them schooling up too, I think one boat off Cooktown got 16 in a few drifts (from memory). We got a fair few in the torres strait not sitting on the reef but on bommies off to the sides of the reef not far from the dropoff.

I caught 4 last year over 80 cm while targeting Red Emperor . I have heard of them schooling up on shallow reefs by scuba guys. As you could well imagine a 88cm jack go bloody hard and are probably some of the unstoppables you hook onto at times . The eating quality really deteriorates as they get bigger. They curl up in the pan and are like rubber, not good eating like the estuary ones .
Hope this helps

Nathan

[nathan dumschat]

Thats the areas Nicko were the big reds are also but we will keep it a secret though LOL

Nathan

[Nicko_Cairns]

haha it's not too much of a secret up here!

Thats the areas Nicko were the big reds are also but we will keep it a secret though LOL

Nathan

[Smithy]

If the pictures were still on the old forum pages and you did a search it would have turned up some nice reef jacks. Been a fair few threads over the years about people throwing them back thinking they are red bass and all that sort of stuff. You'll just have to contend yourself by going back and reading Reefmaster's reports. He has a few hidden away in them. You can certainly target them. I went out on Summer Bay when Sid Boshammer was still the skipper and Geoff Taylor was the deckie. We went to his jack areas and sure enough I got a nice one. From that area most of the ANSA Australian records have come back in Sid's first boat days on Time and Tide.