AMBERJACK, GREATER

Description:

The Amberjack is a tough fighting fish found in reefs and rocky areas.

How To Identify:

Often confused with yellowtail kingfish and Samson fish which it is related to. Amberjack have a elongated body with a deep forked tail. They are generally silver-blue with a white belly, they have a golden (yellow) lateral band and brown across the eye area. Distinguished from the Yellowtail Kingfish by the deeper body and duskier fins. They grow to over 70 kgs around the world but in Australia typically between 5-20kgs with 30kg being a monster in Australia.

How To Catch:

Live bait is probably the best, with Slimies being the preferred, followed by yakka and other such live baits. In more recent years have been targeted with knife jigs which when fished in the hands of a professional will sometimes out fish even live bait. You need strong gear and since they usually hang around structure if there are bigger specimens around you will need 50-80lb braid - even then you will get the unstoppable. The rig I use is two 9/0 hooks snelled together about 10 cm apart connected by about 1 meter to a double swivel, then main line to swivel and about another meter to a sinker (heavy enough that it stays on the bottom - usually between 6-8 ounce)

Where Found:

Found in the indo pacific around Australia, Japan, indo pacific, Philippines, in the central pacific off Hawaii, throughout the western Atlantic Ocean and in some areas of the Eastern Atlantic. Amberjacks occur mostly in open oceans around structure such as 'bommie' pinnacles, oil rigs, mooring boys, and around reef drop offs

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