Almaco Jack

The Almaco jack has a less elongated, more flattened body than most jack species. Their dorsal fin and anal fins are elongated, and their outer edges have a definite sickle shape. The first rays of the Almaco dorsal fin's longest parts are nearly twice as long as the dorsal spines, also different from other jacks.

Almaco jacks are generally dusky-colored with faint amber or olive stripes down their sides. Their upper bodies and lower fins are usually dark brown or dark blue-green. The belly is much lighter and appears brassy or lavender. The nuchal bar and most of the fins is dark on adults. Exceptions are the pelvic fins which are white on the ventral sides.

The Almaco jack is a pelagic species that can be found in small groups on slopes and off of reefs at depths from 5 to 160 metres (2.7 to 87 fathoms). They visit wrecks more often than most other jacks. In the Indian to the west Pacific oceans, Almaco jack live from Kenya to South Africa and have been spotted off Mariana Islands, Wake island, Ryukyu Islands, Kermadec Islands and New Caledonia. In the eastern Pacific, Almaco jack live from California to Peru and the Galapagos islands. In the western Atlantic, they live mostly from Cape Cod to northern Argentina although they are rare off North and South Carolina. Almaco jack are not as common in the Eastern Atlantic as elsewhere. Almaco live near Great Britain and off Lampedusa in the Mediterranean sea. They typically swim at depths ranging from 5–35 metres (16–115 ft).

Almaco jack's unusual stamina makes them a prime target for deep sea fishermen.
They remove skin-based parasites by rubbing against the rough skin of passing sharks. Almaco jack also rub against passing scuba divers because they mistake them for sharks.

Catch Information