Rainbow Runner
The slimmest, fastest member of the jack family, rainbow runners roam tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide — from the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico to the Indo-Pacific and Hawaii.
Built like a torpedo with vivid blue and olive racing stripes, they hunt in open water and around offshore structure, and on light tackle their speed makes them a genuine handful.
Scientific Name: Elagatis bipinnulata
Also known as Rainbow Yellowtail, Spanish Jack, Hawaiian Salmon, Skipjack, Shoemaker
- Slender, torpedo-shaped body — noticeably more elongated than most jacks — with a deeply forked tail built for sustained speed.
- Dark olive-green to blue on the back, white below, with two narrow blue-white stripes along the sides and a broader olive or yellowish stripe running between them.
- A pair of detached 2-rayed finlets sits behind both the dorsal and anal fins — a tuna-like feature that separates this species from other jacks at a glance.
- Typical fish run 2–3 feet; the IGFA all-tackle record is 37 lb 9 oz, though most encounters are well under that.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Circumglobal in warm seas — present throughout the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, including Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific island chains.
- A pelagic, near-surface species that spends most of its time in the top 30 feet of the water column, though it can range down to around 500 feet.
- Reef-associated as well as open-water; equally at home over deep coral and rock structure as it is in blue water far offshore.
Specific Spots
- Current edges and weed lines concentrate baitfish and zooplankton, and rainbow runners patrol these seams actively — work the color change where blue water meets green.
- Floating debris, FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices), and any drifting structure draw schools; the shade and associated baitfish make these reliable holding spots in otherwise featureless open water.
- Offshore islands, seamounts, and deep reef drop-offs funnel current and push bait to the surface — rainbow runners stack up on the upcurrent side where forage gets pushed toward them.
- Tuna schools are worth a second look: rainbow runners frequently mix in with them, so a working bird pile or boiling tuna school may have runners underneath.
Rainbow Runner FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Rainbow Runner?
Trolling small feathers, cedar plugs, skirted lures, and spoons at moderate to fast speeds covers the most water and is the most consistent way to find roaming schools.
What do Rainbow Runner eat?
Small baitfish (sardines, pilchards, and similar schooling species) make up the bulk of the diet, which is why trolled feathers, cedar plugs, and small skirted lures that mimic fleeing baitfish are the go-to approach.
Where do Rainbow Runner live?
Circumglobal in warm seas, present throughout the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, including Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific island chains. A pelagic, near-surface species that spends most of its time in the top 30 feet of the water column, though it can range down to around 500 feet.
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