# Chasing jacks on the fly



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Hook a 30” jack and let us know...
If you have someone at the wheel to chase it you might be fine but straight up fighting a bigger jack without running after it will probably not be in your favor with just a 9 weight. A bull red usually fights like a wet beach towel and jacks are rocket propelled.


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## RedfishSlayer361 (Dec 7, 2018)

This is why I’m asking...


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

I fought this one on an 8wt. Had to chase him down and I didn't think I'd ever turn his head boatside. I'd size up if you have the option. Those things are crazy strong. Then again it's kinda fun to be undergunned sometimes and try to make it happen haha.


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## nlesomr (Jul 18, 2016)

fish was over 40" on an 8 wt and took damn near an hour. it was fun, but thinking back i wish i'd had a 10...


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

They don’t make small jacks in the northern gulf so my standard is at least a 10wt. I know plenty of dudes that use a 12 and trust me, you’ll still have fun. When you hook that 40” plus fish in anything more than 3ft of water you’ll be wishing you had a 14wt.


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## Rookiemistake (Jan 30, 2013)

Have a 12 and was wondering as well what 10wts would be good.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

You didn't say what size jacks for that 9wt... I wouldn't hesitate to fish them up to 15lbs with a 9wt - but that's just me.

Bigger fish need bigger gear (and one of the real advantages of a 10wt is that you can toss bigger bugs...). Yes there are plenty of big jacks that will need something bigger than a 10wt... In downtown Palm Beach right at dawn on a high tide in the middle of winter I know a few spots where a 12wt might not be enough rod. Unless you're in a boat and can chase after fish teaching mullet how to climb up a concrete seawall.... Way back when we were on foot chasing them up and down a big urban seawall - and a good pair of running shoes along with sailfish sized poppers were what we used - but without a boat we were generally on the losing end of most fights...

By the way when the big busters are around I generally try not to chase them... Instead we do our best to get ahead of them and do an intercept instead.. Big jacks (and little jacks...) will chase a school of bait forever... You'll see a blow up, run to it, and find they've moved on - still chasing the bait they've targeted (at least that's how they behave in my area...).


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## silverg hog (Nov 17, 2018)

Sounds fun


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Havn't seen a Jack Attack in this area in a while. Used to be a normal occurrence 15 years ago.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

If jack crevalle were edible they'd be the perfect fish.

Stuck this one on my 6wt. Only reason I got him to hand was I was in the backwater less than knee deep. 

On an open flat I would have had no chance...


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

crboggs said:


> If jack crevalle were edible they'd be the perfect fish.


100% Agreed


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## RedfishSlayer361 (Dec 7, 2018)

Reading all these comments I gotta go hook one!!


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

We call them Jetty Tuna. I always chuckle when I see some poor soul posting a photo of a Jack they caught and telling everyone it’s a tuna. If they read some fishing regulations and identification books while waiting for a fish to pick up their cut bait they might know better...


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Jack crevalle are very edible. I can take one and turn into the best tuna salad you’ve ever had...


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## Skram (Feb 8, 2019)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> We call them Jetty Tuna. I always chuckle when I see some poor soul posting a photo of a Jack they caught and telling everyone it’s a tuna. If they read some fishing regulations and identification books while waiting for a fish to pick up their cut bait they might know better...


Oh yeah. I've overhead some tourist here that "Filled the box with yellowfin!" only a mile off the beach haha


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

lemaymiami said:


> Jack crevalle are very edible. I can take one and turn into the best tuna salad you’ve ever had...


I’ll send you some fillets...


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## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

crboggs said:


> If jack crevalle were edible they'd be the perfect fish.


I don't know about edible because tarpon are by far my favorite and they're not edible.

My perspective is that if jacks were a little more discerning in taking a fly they'd be perfect because I don't think I've ever put a fly in front of a jack that didn't eat. Even on a shitty cast that I overshot a big, cruising jack by like 10' because he was moving so fast he turned and ate my popper like a lion on a wounded gazelle.

Meaning, that part of the allure to me of tarpon is that sometimes a perfectly placed fly will still get the snub. I don't see jacks doing that.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

A jack's willingness to eat is exactly what makes them such reliable fun.

Especially since I can chase them in places away from the local crowds.

Chasing tarpon around here means dealing with jet skis and bow riders...


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## hipshot (Sep 29, 2018)

I caught bazillions of jacks and a few less tarpon when I lived in Florida. Since I moved to Texas I have yet to catch either one here. I keep seeing photographs of big jacks, but they never come around me. So sad........


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)




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## Scott Kor (Feb 3, 2019)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> We call them Jetty Tuna. I always chuckle when I see some poor soul posting a photo of a Jack they caught and telling everyone it’s a tuna. If they read some fishing regulations and identification books while waiting for a fish to pick up their cut bait they might know better...


Poor man's GT


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Definitely use a 10wt if you have it. Or 9wt with some backbone. Like Caleb said, I've hooked them offshore with even a 10wt and wished I had a 12wt.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

If I go jack hunting I just grab the 12wt and be done with it. I have caught them on 8-10wt’s usually when they pop up while redfishing. I’ve never caught one and after thought man I wish I had a smaller rod.


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

10wt. will do the job.


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## Trickyrick (Mar 3, 2012)

I hooked one on a 7 wt. once. I think he is still heading south with my fly!


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## RedfishSlayer361 (Dec 7, 2018)

scissorhands said:


> 10wt. will do the job.


That was my thought and that’s what I think I’ll try..ccfx2 and a 10 wt ‍♂


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Poor man's permit.... 
Bonita is more a poor man's tuna


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

You can do it with your 9 if you are in shallow water. Make sure your terminal connections are bombproof because those fish will test your gear. Better would be getting a good 10wt.

We got refused by big jacks cruising the flats the other day 3 times. They would smash some mullet but couldn't even get a look on the fly. Of course we had some smaller redfish flies tied on. We'll get them next time with some big flashy mullet patterns.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

The big jacks in shallow are anything but dumb. One thing If you find them schooled in open water. Single fish in shallow are smart.


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## RedfishSlayer361 (Dec 7, 2018)

So my next question is do I skip to an 11 or buy a 10..don’t know how much difference there is or what casting a 11 would be like..can you walk the jetties blind casting with a 11 weight or will your shoulder fall off..again I don’t know


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## Cliff (Oct 13, 2016)

I hooked a 15 to 20 lb jack in Belize this May. I was using a 9 wt. Fish spooled me with 125 yds of backing in minutes. Kept him on but the panga could not handle the coral so I jumped out to give it my best shot. Fish wrapped around coral and with luck my backing was not cut. Spent 20 minutes going from coral to coral, disconnecting my line. I finally git my line clear and lost the fish after wading arm-pit deep chasing. So much fun! Would a 12 wt have made a difference? Maybe, but still, what a day.


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