Waterlands

Species guide · Georgia

Crevalle jack fishing in Georgia

Caranx hippos, a nearshore species also called jack crevalle, jack and common jack. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Peak season, about 4 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Altamaha Sound to Fernandina Beach FL out 20 NM at 71, one of 2 Georgia bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Peak season
Where it's scoring nowAll Georgia waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

South Atlantic

Peak season, about 4 more weeks
  1. Jan: Off season
  2. Feb: Off season
  3. Mar: Off season
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Shoulder season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Peak season
  8. Aug: Peak season
  9. Sep: Peak season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Off season
  12. Dec: Off season

Peak: Jul to Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Oct.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

SCDNR describes crevalle as summer-only in South Carolina, leaving as water cools in fall. Florida east coast inlets from Jupiter to St. Augustine see big schools on the September and October mullet run.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 2

Georgia bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's crevalle jack score this hour.

1
71Great
Coastal waters from Altamaha Sound to Fernandina Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 7-10 PM (80) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (82) · 44 named spots

2
68Great
Coastal waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA out 20 nm, including Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Best window today 7-10 PM (81) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (82) · 26 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

GADNR CRD saltwater regulations Buy a Georgia fishing license License types

Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division. Synced with GADNR CRD Sep 21, 2026.

No reviewed crevalle jack rule for Georgia is on file yet. Check with GADNR CRD before you keep one.

Other Georgia species