Almaco Jack

Habitat Distribution

• A circumtropical species found in warm temperate and tropical seas worldwide — Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Ocean, and occasionally the Mediterranean.
• In the Western Atlantic, the range runs from roughly Cape Cod south to Argentina, though regular catches are uncommon north of the Carolinas; the Gulf of Mexico holds fish throughout.
• Eastern Pacific populations extend from southern California to Peru, including the Galapagos; the species is also present across Pacific island groups including Hawaii.
• More oceanic and deepwater-oriented than greater amberjack, typically found from 50 to 350+ feet, though the full depth range extends to around 1,100 feet.

Specific Spots

• High-relief offshore structure — deepwater reefs, rocky ledges, and shipwrecks — concentrates Almaco Jacks more reliably than almost any other habitat; they visit wrecks more consistently than most other jacks.
• Offshore oil and gas platforms draw fish because the structure creates vertical relief in otherwise featureless water, stacking baitfish and the jacks that follow them.
• Reef slopes and drop-offs, particularly where the bottom transitions sharply to deeper water, position fish where they can intercept prey moving up and down the water column.
• Juvenile fish associate with floating sargassum mats offshore — worth checking when targeting smaller fish or when adult structure is hard to locate.