Yellow Jack
Caranx bartholomaei
How to tell it
Slender, clean-lined jack that turns brassy-gold toward the tail; no fin blotches anywhere.
Often mistaken for
Three fish that get called yellow jack, and what gives each one away.
- Bar jack: Black stripe along the back running into the lower tail lobe. Tell them apart
- Horse-eye jack: Bigger eye, blacker tail. Tell them apart
- Crevalle jack: Steep head and a dark pectoral blotch. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 27.6 lb | 2025 · West Palm Beach | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 15.98 lb | 2009 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
Very good — among the best-eating jacks.
In the app
Point the camera at a yellow jack 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 yellow jack
How do you tell yellow jack from bar jack?
Yellow Jack: Slender, clean-lined jack that turns brassy-gold toward the tail; no fin blotches anywhere. Bar jack: black stripe along the back running into the lower tail lobe.
What is the record yellow jack?
27.6 lb in Florida (2025), West Palm Beach. Other states’ records are in the table.