The jacks are back!

Many years ago, the Lowcountry was considered one of the best jack cravelle fisheries in the nation. As a matter of fact, Charleston Harbor produced a couple of world record jacks. It was an amazing fishery. Since jacks are not much for table fare (they taste awful) pretty much all of the fish were released. They were the perfect sport fish. Easy to locate. Willing to bite. Punishing fight.  However, something in our environment changed and jacks quit coming to our local waters. 

Thankfully, after several years’ absence, the jacks are back! Early in the morning, I have been seeing large schools of jacks aggressively feeding on menhaden. They are easy to find. Locate a school of menhaden and watch for big splashes. A jack feeding on the surface makes quite a commotion.

If you cast a lure that resembles a menhaden to the feeding jacks, you will probably be rewarded with a crushing strike and a long hard fight. Unless of course, you are me. For some reason this week, all the jacks I caught were tiny. However, even the small ones put up a great fight on light tackle.

With the jacks being back, I will usually look for them early (as in dawn patrol). If they are not cooperative, I switch species and target trout with top water lures. Typically, one of the two species will cooperate and that makes dawn patrol worthwhile. Plus, you can be home in time for breakfast. 

Contact Captain Greg Peralta at captgregp@gmail.com or call (843) 224-0099.