jack crevalle (Toro, Jurel)
Jack Crevalle are without a doubt the most common of all Jacks/Trevallies in Western Mexico. It is a very strong fish, so tough in fact, in some parts of this area it is known as Toro in Spanish, meaning bull. They have been given a bum rap by many anglers who consider the Jack Crevalle a trash fish because of its lack of edibility. It’s often called a pest fish due to its aggressiveness, which frustrates anglers at times who catch them while targeting other species. Let me tell you, these fish are the bread and butter sport fish many times when other fish are finicky.
Pacific Jack Crevalle, like their Atlantic counterparts, are similar to most other Jacks and Trevallies in being heavily-bodied, with steeply rounded heads. They are generally silver to dark gray above with silver sides, and are covered in assorted smaller black spots with a large black spot or patch on its upper gill cover. They may or may not have an additional dark spot on the pectoral fin.
Fishing techniques for Jack Crevalle are very similar to those used for Roosterfish. These two species have very similar feeding habits, frequent the same types of waters
Their reputation for being very gamy tasting precedes them. In fact, they are horrendous eating in my opinion, probably the worst eating fish around. Release them! The average size is 5 to 15 pounds, with large ones considered over 20 pounds. The IGFA All-Tackle-Record for the Pacific Jack Crevalle is shown as 39 pounds, but I'd have to see one that size to believe it. I have caught and seen thousands and thousands of these fish in numerous parts of the South and Eastern Pacific, have had several IGFA records myself in this species, and have never seen one even close to this size anywhere. I suspect there was something wrong with the scale or angler or it was misidentified from being another species of Jack or Trevally … perhaps an Ulua (Giant Trevally), which I believe have made their way to the area in currents from the South Pacific ... Hawaii.
Fishing techniques for Jack Crevalle are very similar to those used for Roosterfish. These two species have very similar feeding habits, frequent the same types of waters
For more info on the Jack Crevalle and other fish species, order my book "Fishing ... Mexican Style".