Species guide
How to catch Bar jack
Caranx ruber
The Bar jack is a sleek, fast-swimming saltwater fish often found in schools near coral reefs and clear insular waters. It is a bentho-pelagic predator, hunting actively in open water and near the bottom. This species is popular among game fishers due to its fighting ability.
Where they live
Found in saltwater regions of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, the Bar jack inhabits coral reefs and clear coastal waters from shallow zones down to about 35 meters. Juveniles prefer algae-rich areas like Sargassum.
Typical size
Up to about 73 cm
What they eat
- small squid
- small fish
- grunts
- wrasses
Best baits
- small fish strips
- squid pieces
- shrimp
Best lures
- small jigs
- plugs
- soft plastic lures
How to fish for them
- casting near reefs
- bottom fishing
- trolling
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