Black JackorWhite Trevally
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
Black Jack
Dark gray to black jack with a steep forehead and a black scutes-lined tail base; deep offshore.
Black jack, next to white trevally: all dark, steep forehead.
White Trevally
Silvery-blue jack with a yellow stripe along the side and a black spot on the gill cover; a Pacific-Atlantic straggler.
White trevally, next to black jack: silvery with a yellow stripe.
Side by side
| Black Jack | White Trevally | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Caranx lugubris | Pseudocaranx dentex |
| Also called | — | Silver trevally, Blue trevally |
| Waters | Offshore | Offshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Edible — ciguatera risk offshore. | Good. |
| Rules of its own in | 0 states | 0 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
| State | Black Jack: size · bag · season | White Trevally: size · bag · season |
|---|
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, black jack or white trevally, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell black jack from white trevally?
Black Jack: Dark gray to black jack with a steep forehead and a black scutes-lined tail base; deep offshore. White Trevally: Silvery-blue jack with a yellow stripe along the side and a black spot on the gill cover; a Pacific-Atlantic straggler. White trevally, next to black jack: silvery with a yellow stripe. Black jack, next to white trevally: all dark, steep forehead.
Which is better to eat, black jack or white trevally?
Black Jack: Edible — ciguatera risk offshore. White Trevally: Good.