Crevalle Jack
The crevalle jack (Caranx hippos) runs Brazil's northeastern and coastal waters from estuaries to nearshore reefs, showing up wherever baitfish schools concentrate.
Around Rio Grande do Norte, guides target them alongside tarpon and snook in river mouths and inshore channels. Not a table fish — the dark, bloody meat puts most anglers off — but few inshore species pull as hard for their size.
Scientific Name: Caranx hippos
Also known as xaréu, xaréu-comum
- Deep, compressed body; greenish-blue to olive above, white below, with a distinctive black spot at the top corner of the gill cover and another at the base of the pectoral fin.
- Strongly forked, yellowish tail; steep forehead; bare, scaleless chest except for a small patch in front of the pelvic fins — a reliable field mark.
- Juveniles carry roughly five dark vertical bars on the body; adults lose these as they grow.
- Typical catches run 2–10 kg; fish over 20 kg are possible, with the species reaching around 32 kg and 124 cm at maximum.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the Atlantic coast of Brazil — the species ranges from Nova Scotia to Uruguay, covering the entire Brazilian coastline.
- Adults use inshore channels, river mouths, and nearshore waters; they will push well up into brackish rivers and estuaries, especially when following baitfish.
- Juveniles concentrate in estuaries, lagoons, mangrove edges, and seagrass beds, where shelter and small prey are abundant.
- Larger fish move into deeper water — wrecks and offshore structure down to several hundred feet — but the most consistent action is inshore, near moving water and tidal flow.
Key Locations
- Rio Grande do Norte — guided inshore and nearshore fisheries around Natal target jacks alongside tarpon and snook in river mouths and coastal channels.
- Estuaries and tidal inlets along the northeastern coast, where strong tidal flow and baitfish concentrations draw consistent jack activity.
Specific Spots
- Tidal inlets and river mouths with strong current flow — moving water concentrates baitfish and pulls jacks into predictable feeding lanes.
- Channel edges and finger channels near estuaries; jacks use the current break to pin baitfish against structure.
- Mangrove shorelines and seagrass flats, particularly where juveniles and smaller fish stage before pushing into open water.
- Anywhere a visible baitfish school is being pushed to the surface — jacks will ball and herd mullet, sardines, or other small fish in open water, making the feeding activity easy to spot.
Crevalle Jack FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Crevalle Jack?
Topwater poppers and walk-the-dog style surface plugs are the most exciting option when jacks are visibly pushing bait, the strike is violent and unmistakable. Jigs (1/2–2 oz depending on current) and suspending jerkbaits like X-Raps cover inlets, channel edges, and structure when fish aren't showing on top.
What flies work for Crevalle Jack?
Clouser Minnows (which imitate baitfish) in chartreuse-and-white or red-and-white are a reliable first choice, heavy enough to cut through current and get down to feeding fish quickly.
When is the best time to fish for Crevalle Jack?
Brazil's northeastern coast holds warm water year-round, so jacks are present in all months, there is no true off-season in states like Rio Grande do Norte.
How do you catch Crevalle Jack?
Most anglers in Brazil encounter jacks while targeting other inshore species like tarpon and snook in river mouths and tidal channels.
What do Crevalle Jack eat?
Smaller fish make up the bulk of the diet, sardines, mullet, and other schooling baitfish. Match this with topwater plugs or surface poppers when fish are visibly chasing bait at the surface. Shrimp and crabs round out the menu, especially in estuaries.
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