Banded RudderfishorAlmaco Jack
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Banded Rudderfish
Small seriola: juveniles banded, adults show a white-edged tail; often mis-called amberjack.
Almaco Jack
Deep body, dramatically tall and curved front dorsal lobe, darker overall than an amberjack.
Almaco jack, next to banded rudderfish: deeper body, tall sickle dorsal.
Side by side
| Banded Rudderfish | Almaco Jack | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Seriola zonata | Seriola rivoliana |
| Also called | — | Almaco |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | 1 lb 5 oz · Connecticut (2018) | 60 lb 8 oz · North Carolina (2025) |
| On the table | Very good. | Very good — better than its reputation. |
| Rules of its own in | 9 states | 9 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 6 of 9 states with a rule for either. In Alabama, banded rudderfish is 14-22 in fork length slot, 20-fish reef fish aggregate and almaco jack is No size limit, 20-fish reef fish aggregate. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Banded Rudderfish: size · bag · season | Almaco Jack: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14-22 in fork length slot20-fish reef fish aggregateOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked | No size limit20-fish reef fish aggregateOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 14-22 in fork length slot5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | 14-22 in fork length slot5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | No size limitWithin 20-reef-fish aggregate (20 per person per day)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked |
| Georgia | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | slot 14–22 in fork length5 per person in aggregate with lesser amberjackOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked | No size limit20 per person in reef fish aggregateOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | 14–22 in fork length slot5 per person per day (combined with Lesser Amberjack)Open year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked | No size limitNo individual limit (within 20-reef-fish aggregate)Open year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked |
| North Carolina | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | No size limit10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters)SAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked |
| South Carolina | No size limit20/day aggregate, max 10 of any one speciesOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked | No size limit20/day aggregate, max 10 of any one speciesOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | 14-22 in fork length slot5-fish jacks aggregate (with lesser amberjack)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked | No size limitWithin 20-reef-fish aggregate (20 per person per day)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, banded rudderfish or almaco jack, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell banded rudderfish from almaco jack?
Banded Rudderfish: Small seriola: juveniles banded, adults show a white-edged tail; often mis-called amberjack. Almaco Jack: Deep body, dramatically tall and curved front dorsal lobe, darker overall than an amberjack. Almaco jack, next to banded rudderfish: deeper body, tall sickle dorsal.
Which gets bigger, banded rudderfish or almaco jack?
Almaco Jack. The heaviest state record we hold is 60 lb 8 oz in North Carolina; the heaviest banded rudderfish record is 1 lb 5 oz in Connecticut.
Which is better to eat, banded rudderfish or almaco jack?
Banded Rudderfish: Very good. Almaco Jack: Very good — better than its reputation.
Do banded rudderfish and almaco jack have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 6 state rulebooks. Alabama: banded rudderfish 14-22 in fork length slot, 20-fish reef fish aggregate, almaco jack No size limit, 20-fish reef fish aggregate; Florida (Atlantic): banded rudderfish 14-22 in fork length slot, 5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined), almaco jack No size limit, 10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate; Florida (Gulf): banded rudderfish 14-22 in fork length slot, 5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined), almaco jack No size limit, Within 20-reef-fish aggregate (20 per person per day); Louisiana: banded rudderfish slot 14–22 in fork length, 5 per person in aggregate with lesser amberjack, almaco jack No size limit, 20 per person in reef fish aggregate; Mississippi: banded rudderfish 14–22 in fork length slot, 5 per person per day (combined with Lesser Amberjack), almaco jack No size limit, No individual limit (within 20-reef-fish aggregate); and more in the table on this page.