Ken Schultz's Field Guide to Saltwater Fish - Macaw Pets store

The greater amberjack is the largest of the jacks, the most
important amberjack to anglers, and, like most of its
brethren, a strong fighter. It is high on the list of tropical
marine fish suspected of causing ciguatera poisoning,
although this problem may be isolated to certain areas.
Identification. This fish is greenish-blue to almost purple
or brown above the lateral line and silver below the lateral
line. A dark olive-brown diagonal stripe extends from the
mouth across both eyes to about the first dorsal fin. A broad
amber stripe runs horizontally along the sides. The fins may
also have a yellow cast.
The greater amberjack has short foredorsal fins, a bluntly
pointed head, and no detached finlets. The amber stripe
sometimes causes anglers to confuse the greater amberjack
with the yellowtail, but it can be distinguished by the 11 to
16 developed gill rakers on the lower limb of the first
branchial arch; the yellowtail has 21 to 28 gill rakers.
Size. Averaging roughly 15 pounds in weight and commonly
ranging up to 40 pounds, the greater amberjack
often weighs more than 50 pounds and has been reported
to exceed 170 pounds. The all-tackle record is 155 pounds,
10 ounces. It can reach a length of more than 5 feet.
Life history/Behavior. The greater amberjack often
occurs in schools, but it is not primarily a schooling fish and
occasionally remains solitary. Migrations appear to be linked
to spawning behavior, which in the Atlantic occurs from
March through June. Evidence suggests that spawning may
occur in offshore oceanic waters, but few studies have been
conducted, although spawning fish are known to congregate
over reefs and wrecks.
Food and feeding habits. Greater amberjack feed on fish,
crabs, and squid.
Amberjack, Greater
Seriola dumerili
OTHER NAMES
amberjack, jack, amberfish,
jack hammer, horseeye
bonito, horse-eye jack,
Allied kingfish (Australia);
French: poisson limon,
sériole couronnée;
Hawaiian: kahala;
Japanese: kanpachi;
Spanish: coronado, pez de
limón, serviola.
Distribution. In North
America greater amberjack
occur off Hawaii, off the
coasts of Florida, and in
nearby Caribbean waters.
Amberjack in some waters
are resident fish, but others
are migratory coastal
pelagic fish that swim with
the current edges and
eddies.
Habitat. Greater amberjack
are found mostly in
offshore waters and at considerable
depths, as well as
around offshore reefs,
wrecks, buoys, oil rigs, and
the like. They can be caught
anywhere in the water column,
to depths of several
hundred feet, but they are
mostly associated with
near-bottom structure in the
60- to 240-foot range.
Amberjack, Greater 31