Greater Amberjack
Seriola dumerili
Also called AJ, Reef donkey.
How to tell it
Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called greater amberjack, and what gives each one away.
- Almaco jack: Deeper body, tall sickle-shaped dorsal lobe. Tell them apart
- Banded rudderfish: Juvenile bars; small adults with tail-tip white. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 34 in fork length minimum | 1 per person | State waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13AL MRD 2026 · checked | Closed |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 28 in fork length min | 1 per person | Open Jan-Mar and May-Dec (closed April)FWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | 34 in fork length min | 1 per person | 2026 Gulf season: Sep 1-Oct 13FWC 2026 · checked | Closed |
| Georgia | 28 in fork length | 1 per person per day | Open year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Louisiana | 34 in fork length | 1 per person | 2026: Sept 1 – Oct 13. Closed 12:01 a.m. Oct 14 for the rest of 2026 (quota met); 2027 season expected to open Sept 1.LDWF 2026 (Oct 14 closure release) / NOAA SERO · checked | Closed |
| Mississippi | 34 in fork length minimum | 1 per person | Sep 1 – Oct 13, 2026MS DMR 2026 · checked | Closed |
| North CarolinaFederal rule (South Atlantic federal waters) | 28 in fork length | 1 per person per day | Closed April 1–30 annually; open rest of yearSAFMC / NOAA SERO 2026 · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | 28 in fork length | 1/day | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Texas | 38 in total length | 1 | Open year-roundTPWD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Virginia | 32 in min | 2 per person | Open year-roundVMRC 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 132 lb 12.8 oz | 2019 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 142.13 lb | 1979 · Islamorada | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 92 lb 1 oz | 1975 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Louisiana | 140 lb | 2017 · Horseshoe Lump | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Mississippi | 126 lb | 2014 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| New Jersey | 85 lb | 1993 · Off Cape May | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| North Carolina | 126 lb 7 oz | 2008 · Off Swansboro | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 129 lb | 2024 · Murrells Inlet | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 133 lb | 2019 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 118 lb | 1986 · Ches. Light Tower | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
How anglers catch it
A live blue runner dropped to a wreck, or a heavy vertical jig worked fast up through the water column.
On the table
Good; tail worms are common and harmless once cooked.
In the app
Point the camera at a greater amberjack and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about greater amberjack
What is the size limit for greater amberjack?
It depends on the state. Alabama: 34 in fork length minimum; Florida (Atlantic): 28 in fork length min; Florida (Gulf): 34 in fork length min; Georgia: 28 in fork length; Louisiana: 34 in fork length; Mississippi: 34 in fork length minimum; North Carolina: 28 in fork length; South Carolina: 28 in fork length; and more in the table above.
How many greater amberjack can you keep?
Alabama: 1 per person; Florida (Atlantic): 1 per person; Florida (Gulf): 1 per person; Georgia: 1 per person per day; Louisiana: 1 per person; Mississippi: 1 per person; North Carolina: 1 per person per day; South Carolina: 1/day; and more in the table above.
When is greater amberjack season?
Alabama: State waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13; Florida (Atlantic): Open Jan-Mar and May-Dec (closed April); Florida (Gulf): 2026 Gulf season: Sep 1-Oct 13; Louisiana: 2026: Sept 1 – Oct 13. Closed 12:01 a.m. Oct 14 for the rest of 2026 (quota met); 2027 season expected to open Sept 1.; Mississippi: Sep 1 – Oct 13, 2026; North Carolina: Closed April 1–30 annually; open rest of year.
How do you tell greater amberjack from almaco jack?
Greater Amberjack: Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle. Almaco jack: deeper body, tall sickle-shaped dorsal lobe.
How do you catch greater amberjack?
A live blue runner dropped to a wreck, or a heavy vertical jig worked fast up through the water column. Methods: jigging, live bait, bottom. Baits: blue runner, pinfish, cigar minnow, goggle-eye. Lures: metal jig, bucktail.
What is the record greater amberjack?
142.13 lb in Florida (1979), Islamorada. Other states’ records are in the table.