Jack (Leatherjack)

A few inches, rarely as much as a foot.

Leatherjacket, Zapetero

Open water and also in bays and up coastal rivers. A schooling species, it's often found in company with schools of Spanish Mackerel or Jacks, feeding on the same small fry as the larger fish. Adults are found inshore, usually along sandy beaches, in bays and inlets. They enter estuaries and fresh water, preferring turbid water. They occur in schools, usually large and fast moving, often leaping out of the water. Juveniles may float at the surface with tail bent and head down. Adults feed on fishes and crustaceans. The dorsal and anal spines are connected to venomous glands that can inflict painful wounds. Venom glands were not visible however, and cannot be confirmed in the specimen according to Smith and Wheeler, 2006. Current information for this species as being dangerous need verification. Juveniles have incisor-like outer teeth and serve as cleaners for other fish; as fish grow, their teeth become conical and their diet changes

Slender, compressed shape with pointed head and large jaws for its size. Leather skin is green above and silvery on the sides. Sharp spines on dorsal and anal fins can administer very painful puncture wounds. Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-21; Anal spines: 2-3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Body elongate and strongly compressed (depth from 3.5 to 4.4 times in standard length); posterior end of upper jaw reaching posterior rim of eye; upper jaw teeth small and villiform; lower branch of first gill arch with 14 to 18 gill rakers; scales small but visible, needle-shaped, embedded in the skin; back blue green; flanks and belly silvery to white, sometimes with yellow or golden highlights; pectoral and caudal fins yellowish ; Dorsal fin has 5 nearly separate spines.

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Maine, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Uruguay; throughout most of the West Indies. Absent from the Bahamas. Eastern Pacific: Baja California, Mexico to Ecuador. Two subspecies exists: Oligoplites saurus saurus (western Atlantic population) and Oligoplites saurus inornatus (eastern Pacific population).
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

	Hand Line Hand Lining is when....

The Leatherjack will take many different small baits and lures offered for Mackerel and other desirable species.