Mangrove Jack
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DESCRIPTION
Known for their ferocious appetite and aggressive feeding behaviour, mangrove jacks are predatory fish that will fiercely strike bait, often leaving anglers in a heart-pounding chase. With powerful jaws and a muscular build, these fish aren't just a pretty face; they deliver an adrenaline-pumping fight that keeps fishing enthusiasts coming back for more.
Whether you’re targeting them from a boat or casting from the shore, the rush of hooking a mangrove jack is unmatched.
As members of the illustrious snapper family, mangrove jacks share a striking resemblance to their snapper cousins but boast their own unique flair.
Their colours are a vibrant palette that ranges from burnt orange and shimmering copper to deep, dark reddish-brown, with their hues shifting depending on their age and environment.
Younger jacks, dwelling in the shadowy estuaries, often flaunt darker shades, while their older counterparts, residing in the sunlit depths of offshore reefs, display a more radiant coloration.
True to their Lutjanidae lineage, mangrove jacks are equipped with powerful and prominent teeth, perfectly designed for snatching their prey with ferocity. But be warned—these formidable teeth can also deliver a painful reminder if you’re not careful while unhooking your catch!
SIZE AND WEIGHT
Mangrove Jacks pack a punch in terms of size and weight. This impressive species can grow up to 150cm long (4.9ft) and tip the scales at a hefty 16kg (35lb), but 50-60cm is a common size for them to be caught.
DIET
Mangrove jacks feast on small fish and crustaceans, as well as squirming octopuses, making them formidable hunters in their mangrove habitat.
With their keen eyesight and aggressive feeding behaviour, these fish can strike with lightning speed, turning the shallows into a dynamic battleground where only the swift survive.
Whether ambushing prey in the shadows or chasing down a school, the mangrove jack’s voracious diet fuels its reputation as a top-tier predator in the aquatic food chain.
BAG AND SIZE LIMITS
Each state has their own rules and regulations for recreational fishing. The below information is intended as a guide for Mangrove Jacks, and we recommend you check your local state fishing authority website prior to targeting your chosen species.
QUEENSLAND
Minimum length – 35cm
Bag limit – 5
NSW
There's no minimum length
Bag limit –5
VICTORIA
There's no minimum length
Bag limit –5
WA
Minimum length – 30cm
Bag limit –2*
* Near shore/estuarine mixed species bag limit is 16.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Minimum length – 35cm
Bag limit –3
Vessel limits are also in place for Mangrove Jacks. Visit the NT Recreational Fishing website for more info
WHEN TO FISH
Mangrove jacks can be caught throughout the year, but the best time is between November and March, when the water temperature is increasing, and the fish are most active.
They can be caught any time of the day and night. On sunny days, targeting shaded areas can increase your hit rate, and as they feed at night, this can be a good time to target them.
Some anglers prefer dawn and dusk, while others say that the run out tide is ideal, as they move back into deeper sections of rivers and creeks.
WHERE TO FISH
Mangrove jacks inhabit coastal waters and rivers from Shark Bay in Western Australia through to Torres Straight and Queensland, south to Lake Illawarra in NSW. They're occasionally found in more southern estuaries of NSW.
Young mangrove jacks will live and grow as juveniles in the mangrove estuarine systems particularly around the tropical and subtropical areas of Queensland. As they grow the larger and become more temperature tolerant, they will move south into southern Queensland and NSW. When the conditions are right they venture towards the ocean where schools of fish will congregate for spawning around rocky structures. Jacks usually mature when they're approximately 45-50cm in length and venture from living in the estuarine environments to inshore and offshore reef systems.
Their ability to cope with both salt and fresh water environments, means they can be found in the freshwater reaches of tropical rivers through to the brackish waters into the estuaries, along rocky shores and near inshore and offshore reefs.
They’re also able to be stocked into impoundments.
They tend to live very close to cover and take up residence in mangrove roots and fallen timber, along rock bars and reefs or man-made structures like jetties, rock walls and bridges, or around discarded bikes and trollies that have been thrown in river.
HOW TO FISH
Mangrove jacks are extremely strong fighters when they’re hooked, and love to hide amongst underwater structure. This creates a challenge to ensure they don’t break you off once hooked, and they’ll put your tackle through its paces.
There are a few ways to target this challenging species. Live and dead baits are always a winner, but certain styles of lures are also a good option. And as with any species, it helps to have a few options up your sleeve in case they decide to be a bit picky on the day.
Jacks don’t usually hunt near the bottom of their environment, so keeping your bait or lure mid-water is recommended. This will also keep you bait away from crabs and other unwanted bottom dwellers who are always happy for a free feed.
BAIT FISHING
Predators love a good, wiggly live bait, and mangrove jacks are no different.
The ideal live bait can depend on your location, how fussy the fish are being and how active your live bait is.
But live prawns, crabs, yellowtail scad, whiting or herring, and other small forage species between 10-25cm long, are ideal. Yellowtail scad, slimy mackerel and pike are also ideal, particularly if you're fishing around rock walls, bridges and headlands.
Dead baits can be the same species you'd use for live baits, but you can also use fillets from other species, including strips of squid and prawns. Make sure you rig an appropriate sized bait for the size of the fish you're chasing.
LURE FISHING
Targeting jacks on lures can also work incredibly well. You can cast soft plastics into the snags, while live jerk shads and prawn imitations, as well as diving minnows will work around jetties and snags. You can also troll larger hard body lures around deep rock bars for larger jacks.
GEAR GUIDE
Fishing for mangrove jacks require a tough and durable gear set up, not just because of the fight they put up when you hook them, but also because of the environments they live in.
Sometimes jacks will play with the bait, positioning it head first to swallow, which can often feel like a small fish is attacking the bait. But other times they will just smash the bait and run for cover. Either way you need to be focused on what is happening below the water surface and ready to react.
Common by-catch when your targeting mangrove jacks can include mulloway, tailor, spangled emperor, snapper, estuary cod, flathead, bream and trevally. So having a solid gear set up is important, as many of these species will also put up a good fight if hooked.
LINE AND LEADER
Braid is recommended when targeting mangrove jacks. It's higher level of sensitivity will ensure you can feel any movement under the water, particularly if you're live baiting as you'll feel the bait start to kick frantically just before it gets taken. Braid also has less stretch than mono, which will give you more control over your fish once you've hooked them.
When it comes to leader, you'll need something tough and durable. Tough Fluorocarbon or Tough Trace is recommended, in weights over 40lb. They will offer you a higher level of abrasion resistance, which is required to handle the environments that jacks live in.
HOOKS
A suicide or J style hook is recommended as jacks are a "smash and dash" fish. This style of hook allows you to set the hook the moment you feel the bait being eaten, and will allow you to pull them away from any structure. Our DX Point® hooks are the sharpest in our range and have proven to be ideal for targeting mangrove jacks.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- They can be more active during dawn and dusk, and will be found around structure, as they like to hide to ambush prey
- Equip yourself with a solid and balanced gear set up, and be ready for a fight once you've hooked one
- If you’re not keeping the fish, handle them gently and release them quickly to ensure their survival
- Don’t be discouraged by slow days. Keep trying different techniques and locations
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