The Horse-eye Jack is the smaller cousin of the more popular Jack Crevalle, to which it is very similar in appearance, food value and game qualities.

How big

Fish are commonly caught at around 2ft and 10lbs, but the larger ones grow over 3.3ft and 30lbs. They mostly move in small schools.

Distribution

Adults are mostly found over offshore reefs and around oil rigs throughout the tropical zone of the Atlantic Ocean, with juveniles inhabiting shallow coastal waters and estuaries. In the eastern Atlantic, they range from New Jersey to Brazil; in the western Atlantic, they are available off the African coast. In the Indo-Pacific they are replaced by their relative, the Bigeye Trevally.

How to catch

Good baits to target Horse-eye Jacks include small fish such as mullet or pinfish, but artificials such as plugs, jigs and spoons will work well, as these fish are as voracious as Jacks come. Fly fishing enthusiasts get good hits in as well.

Good to eat?

Similarly to many Jacks and Trevallies, these fish aren't too good for their flesh and have also been linked to ciguatera (fish poisoning). For these reasons, they are targeted mostly for their game qualities.