King of the Trashfish

[Sponxx]

Just found out recently about the Jack Crevalle runs and now have a sudden urge to hook up on one or 2 opf these fish. Have only caught small ones,but apparently they cruise neaar the jetties and can be a fun outing.
I have some heavy silver spoons, kastmasters and such that are used in Peru for catching corvinas (similar to striper fishing) in rough waters with lots of potential hangups, so it seems like they could work on the jetties.
Any intel on how/when would be best to hook up on one of these trashmonsters?

[dunedawg]

I've caught some offshore that nearly did me in!! Required an extended break and a few beers !!

[Matt]

Hey Sponxxx You need to be mobile and able to cover water. The jetties are where I go. I got into them last fall pretty good. Clear.water and bait. I don't blind cast but just wait and you will see them boiling. It doesn't matter about lure color when they are feeding, you just need something you can reach out there for them. The last time I got on them was a super fishy day, gray water, sharks were being caught. A tarpon spooled me out on a 6500 spinning reel that was hanging around the jacks.

If you hit the jetties bring a small gaf that can get past the slippery part of the rocks. Also you need a heavy rod so you aren't fighting these things forever otherwise they will take you up and down the jetties. Next clear calmer water during the week Im going.

[Torque]

My son caught a 42 or 48 incher on a trout rod. Quite a fight and required starting the boat, hauling up the anchor and chasing it. This was in the bay. I think my son was around 12. He'll remember that for the rest of his life. Got a picture somewhere.

[SGrem]

Great fighters.
Not the best eating.....
Gear up for them. Being under gunned is brutal. And will consume all your fishing time. Just have the right size gear to whip em down and they are for sure memorable.

[awesum]

It's all in the prep!

[Hooked]

To long to post again but don't ever listen anyone who tells to use the Danish method to cook them. My wife did..........once. LOL

[Unknownstrohsfan]

Caught a 17 pounder on Fishers reef on 12# mono many moons ago. Epic is how I would describe the battle. When I finally netted it, it was missing half a gill plate. Cooked it on the grill, not great, made tuna salad out of the leftovers, and that was just OK. Caught several on 30 # braid, if you run them down with the trolling motor it saves time.

[2Ws]

I've caught 3 and hope I never catch another...everyone needs to catch one.

[Kevin Nicholls]

The surfside jetties should be turning on for them any day now. Also the Texas City Dike, out at the end. If your on the dike the end of Mosquito Island is a place to keep an eye on. As said above get the big rod out and good luck.

[TPOTTS]

Big heavy spoons 3-5oz and big tuna poppers. They are a blast to catch. They make some of the best shark bait possible so we target them pretty exclusively. Jetties are a good bet for them. They are at the Surfside Jetties now so have some fun with them.

[Sponxx]

Thanks for all the tips. Not planning to eat, but just hook and fight a big one. For all I have read, it is one of the better fighters on the shallow side of the blue waters
I have a couple of MH rods, 9 and 11ft and 6k series spinning reels. I assume that should be fine.
As far as spoons I have 3oz ones and also 2oz kastmasters. Others are smaller, no poppers though, but I imagine the topwater blast must be epic.
I'd be happy to keep for bait if someone would want them

[Ditto]

If you're fishing from an anchored boat make sure you have a float on the end of your anchor line so when you untie to chase the fish half way to Mexico you can come back and get your anchor after you're worn out.

[Unknownstrohsfan]

Big heavy spoons 3-5oz and big tuna poppers. They are a blast to catch. They make some of the best shark bait possible so we target them pretty exclusively. Jetties are a good bet for them. They are at the Surfside Jetties now so have some fun with them.

As said, it doesn't matter what you land in front of them when they are feeding, only that you do.

[SGrem]

I tell my customers to use their least favorite rod and reel and their least used lure that they don't mind losing....

[Matt]

I tell my customers to use their least favorite rod and reel and their least used lure that they don't mind losing....

When I first moved down here I got a jack on the ss jetties drifting a shrimp on my favorite abu 6500. That reel was never the same. Spool would scratch the sides etc. all torqued out.

[fishguru00]

I’m one and done, put the drag down. I’ve only caught them on bait, usually live shrimp. I took my step son a few miles passed the Galveston jetties. I had a live sand trout, he didn’t fish much, but he caught the biggest Jack I’ve ever seen. The rod broke between the reel and the butt, oversized fly tackle. Great day for both of us.