Amberjack
Known for their extra lean white meat with mild flavor and large body size, amberjack are among the most popular gaming fish loved by recreational anglers that go on offshore fishing trips in Port Aransas TX. There are actually several species of fish that are called amberjacks and Port Aransas deep sea fishing guides know how to differentiate them. They include species such as greater amberjack, longfin yellowtails, and yellowtail amberjack. Most Port Aransas fishing guides can help you catch the greater amberjack, which is the amberjack species that is plentiful along the Gulf of Mexico.
How Port Aransas Deep Sea fishing Guides Identify the Greater Amberjack
Greater Amberjacks have a dark amber strip that extends from the nose and stops right in front of the dorsal fins. Adult backs are bluish purple or brownish grey but younger greater amberjacks also have dark vertical bars on their sides. Their tail fins are crescent-shaped just like lesser amberjacks, but lesser amberjacks have bigger eyes. Another similarity greater amberjacks have with lesser amberjacks is their short pointed heads.
Greater amberjacks are larger than other jacks. The average amberjack weighs about 40 pounds but there are many instances where recreational anglers have caught some that weigh over 170 pounds during their offshore fishing trips in Port Aransas TX. They grow up to 6 feet long, but generally amberjack females are larger in size than males and live longer.
Where To Find Greater Amberjack
These fast swimming offshore predators are known to feed on crabs, squids, and other smaller fish found on greater amberjack habitats such as high artificial reefs, oil rigs, and wrecks. Smaller amberjack feed mostly on plankton and occur in water less than 32 feet deep. Not all jacks occupy the deep sea and some can live in multiple habitat types.
How To Catch Greater Amberjack in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi fishing charters often catch this species either by trolling with spoons or by drifting with live or cut baits, or both. It’s true that greater amberjack have a great deal of stamina and strength, and will fight you hard before they let you reel them in. Despite this, veteran anglers prefer fly rods or spinning and bait casting rigs to catch greater amberjack.
But most recreational anglers need serious equipment such as a heavy reel capable of 80 to 100 pound line that can withstand 25 pounds, and a strong backboned rod capable of holding 80 pounds. You also need braided lines and artificial lures such as spoons and jigs. Baits for catching greater amberjack include sardines, octopi, shrimp, crabs and more. If you are coming to experience offshore fishing trips in Port Aransas TX, you have the option of hiring fishing gear at an affordable price.