Species guide · North Carolina

Crevalle jack fishing in North Carolina

Caranx hippos, a nearshore species also called jack crevalle, jack and common jack. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Shoulder season, changing this week.

Right now it scores best in Croatan and Roanoke Sounds at 64, one of 9 North Carolina bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Shoulder season

Where it's scoring now All North Carolina waters

Season by month

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

South Atlantic

Shoulder season, changing this week

Jan: Off season
Feb: Off season
Mar: Off season
Apr: Shoulder season
May: Shoulder season
Jun: Shoulder season
Jul: Peak season
Aug: Peak season
Sep: Peak season
Oct: Peak season
Nov: Off season
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 · 9

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

64Good

Croatan and Roanoke Sounds

Best window today 4-6 PM (64) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (66) · 49 named spots

60Good

Alligator River

Best window today 4-7 PM (60) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (61) · 26 named spots

58Good

Pamlico Sound

Best window today 4-7 PM (59) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (61) · 331 named spots

55Good

Neuse and Bay Rivers

Best window today 4-10 PM (55) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (60) · 260 named spots

50Good

Albemarle Sound

Best window today 4-7 PM (51) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (53) · 21 named spots

49Good

Coastal waters from Cape Fear NC to Little River Inlet SC out 20 NM

Best window today 5-9 PM (61) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 7 AM (64) · 7 named spots

47Good

Coastal waters from Surf City to Cape Fear NC out 20 nm

Best window today 5-10 PM (58) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (61) · 1 named spot

47Good

Pamlico and Pungo Rivers

Best window today 5-10 PM (54) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (57) · 134 named spots

43Fair

Currituck Sound

Best window today 5-7 PM (55) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (58) · 75 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

NCDMF saltwater regulations Buy a North Carolina fishing license License types

North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries. Synced with NCDMF Nov 4, 2026.

No reviewed crevalle jack rule for North Carolina is on file yet. Check with NCDMF before you keep one.