Lesser AmberjackorGreater Amberjack
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
Lesser Amberjack
Smallest amberjack; eye stripe ends before the dorsal, big eye.
Greater Amberjack
Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle.
Greater amberjack, next to lesser amberjack: eye stripe runs into the first dorsal.
Side by side
| Lesser Amberjack | Greater Amberjack | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Seriola fasciata | Seriola dumerili |
| Also called | — | AJ, Reef donkey |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | 5 lb 8 oz · Mississippi (2004) | 142.13 lb · Florida (1979) |
| On the table | Good. | Good; tail worms are common and harmless once cooked. |
| Rules of its own in | 9 states | 10 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 10 of 10 states with a rule for either. In Alabama, lesser amberjack is 14-22 in fork length slot, 20-fish reef fish aggregate and greater amberjack is 34 in fork length minimum, 1 per person. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Lesser Amberjack: size · bag · season | Greater Amberjack: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 14-22 in fork length slot20-fish reef fish aggregateOpen year-roundOpenAL MRD 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length minimum1 per personState waters follow federal Gulf season: 2026 open Sept 1 - Oct 13OpenAL MRD 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 14-22 in fork length slot5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | 28 in fork length min1 per personOpen Jan-Mar and May-Dec (closed April)OpenFWC 2026 · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | 14-22 in fork length slot5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined)Open year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length min1 per person2026 Gulf season: Sep 1-Oct 13OpenFWC 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 | 28 in fork length1 per person per dayOpen year-roundOpenGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked |
| Louisiana | slot 14–22 in fork length5 per person in aggregate with banded rudderfishOpen year-roundOpenLDWF 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length1 per personOpen Sept. 1–Oct. 31, or until quota is metOpenLDWF 2026 · checked |
| Mississippi | 14–22 in fork length slot5 per person per day (combined with Banded Rudderfish)Open year-roundOpenMS DMR 2026 · checked | 34 in fork length minimum1 per personSep 1 – Oct 13, 2026OpenMS 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 | 28 in fork length1 per person per dayClosed April 1–30 annually; open rest of yearOpenFederal 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 | 28 in fork length1/dayOpen year-roundOpenSC DNR 2026 · checked |
| Texas | 14-22 in fork length slot5-fish jacks aggregate (with banded rudderfish)Open year-roundOpenFederal rule (Gulf federal waters)NOAA SERO 2026 / Gulf Council 2026 · checked | 38 in total length1Open year-roundOpenTPWD 2026 · checked |
| Virginia | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | 32 in min2 per personOpen year-roundOpenVMRC 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, lesser amberjack or greater amberjack, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell lesser amberjack from greater amberjack?
Lesser Amberjack: Smallest amberjack; eye stripe ends before the dorsal, big eye. Greater Amberjack: Dark band through the eye to the first dorsal; amber side stripe; 11 or fewer dorsal rays than almaco's tall sickle. Greater amberjack, next to lesser amberjack: eye stripe runs into the first dorsal.
Which gets bigger, lesser amberjack or greater amberjack?
Greater Amberjack. The heaviest state record we hold is 142.13 lb in Florida; the heaviest lesser amberjack record is 5 lb 8 oz in Mississippi.
Which is better to eat, lesser amberjack or greater amberjack?
Lesser Amberjack: Good. Greater Amberjack: Good; tail worms are common and harmless once cooked.
Do lesser amberjack and greater amberjack have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 10 state rulebooks. Alabama: lesser amberjack 14-22 in fork length slot, 20-fish reef fish aggregate, greater amberjack 34 in fork length minimum, 1 per person; Florida (Atlantic): lesser amberjack 14-22 in fork length slot, 5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined), greater amberjack 28 in fork length min, 1 per person; Florida (Gulf): lesser amberjack 14-22 in fork length slot, 5 per person (lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish combined), greater amberjack 34 in fork length min, 1 per person; Georgia: lesser amberjack No size limit, 10 per person per day within 20-fish snapper-grouper aggregate, greater amberjack 28 in fork length, 1 per person per day; Louisiana: lesser amberjack slot 14–22 in fork length, 5 per person in aggregate with banded rudderfish, greater amberjack 34 in fork length, 1 per person; and more in the table on this page.