Species guide · Alabama
Crevalle jack fishing in Alabama
Caranx hippos, a nearshore species also called jack crevalle, jack and common jack. Listed for the Eastern Gulf region. Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Perdido Bay Area at 58, one of 4 Alabama bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Eastern Gulf
Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks- Jan: Off season
- Feb: Off season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Peak season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Off season
- Dec: Off season
Peak: May to Jul. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Oct.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
Warm-season schools in Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor passes and along Panhandle and Alabama beaches. Distribution follows water temperature; fish move south in fall.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 4
Alabama bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's crevalle jack score this hour.
Best window today 6-10 AM (67) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (67) · 20 named spots
Best window today 7 AM-2 PM (65) · Best day Wed, Sep 30 at 7 AM (68) · 33 named spots
Best window today 7-11 AM (71) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (71) · 53 named spots
Best window today 7-10 AM (71) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 AM (71) · 21 named spots
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 65°F to 92°F, best between 70°F and 85°F.
- Water depth
- 1 to 60 ft of water.
- Structure
- Inlet, pass, jetty, bridge, channel, bay and beach, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Jacks chase bait wherever current concentrates it, so inlet and pass mouths on either tide and rips along jetties are the places to look. Tide stage matters less than finding bait and birds.
- Light
- Bites best around dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 20 kt of wind and 4 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Jacks roam in schools through inlets, passes, bays, river mouths and along beaches, pushing bait to the surface, and big fish also hold on nearshore reefs and wrecks. Watch for birds and surface blowups, then cast a popper, a spoon or a bucktail into the school and retrieve fast. Bring heavy spinning tackle, because a jack over 15 pounds runs hard and fights for a long time.
- Methods
- casting to surface schools, live bait, trolling, fly fishing
- Lures
- topwater popper, spoon, bucktail jig, soft plastic swimbait, baitfish fly
- Bait
- live mullet, pilchard, pinfish, ladyfish
Regulations
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division. Synced with ADCNR Marine Resources Sep 19, 2026.
No reviewed crevalle jack rule for Alabama is on file yet. Check with ADCNR Marine Resources before you keep one.