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Photo: Zygy, CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Caranx latus
How to catch Horse-eye jack in Florida
Horse-eye jack feed in 70–90°F water and bite best at 76–86°F.
25 pts · trophy at 28"Feeds 70–90°FBest 76–86°FIn season nowWreckArtificial reefBridgeMarker / buoy
About
The big-eyed jack of the wrecks, the bridges and the reef edge at night, in schools that hit a jig like a crevalle and pull nearly as hard. Not for the table; for the fight.
How to fish it
Under the bridge lights at night or over a wreck at dawn; a jig or a live bait, and a heavy drag.
What it eats
live pilchardsjigsplugs at night
Live bait for it
Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.What to fish it with
the sizes that fish itLeader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
Hook2/0–7/0
Braid30–65 lb
The rule
not confirmed hereNo size limit; within the general bag — confirm at MyFWC.
The current rule at MyFWC →Month by month, water by water
When horse-eye jack is the story
The Ten Thousand Islands & Everglades
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The Florida Keys
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Miami & Biscayne Bay
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Palm Beach & the Treasure Coast
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