# What is this bait fish and is it good for anything?



## GregBR549

We fish for bait out near the bouy out of OB. Many times we catch a very silvery, slick, no scale fish with a yellow tail that is flat and looks a bit like a jack. What is it and is it any good for bait???

thanks

Greg


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## specslayer

any pics of it?


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## whome

its called a crazy fish, and its good for nothing as far as I'm concerned...


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## GregBR549

No pics, I can't find a pic on the net anywhere either. Kinda looks like a pompano/jack creval sorta. 

Crazy fish? Is there another name? I couldn't find any crazy fish on the net.


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## whome

i'm sure thats not the scientific name, but thats what most people around here refer to it as


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## SHUT UP AND FISH

sounds like a crazy fish they supposivly hurt pretty bad if they stick you


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## Wharf Rat

> *GregBR549 (7/16/2008)*No pics, I can't find a pic on the net anywhere either. Kinda looks like a pompano/jack creval sorta.
> 
> 
> 
> Crazy fish? Is there another name? I couldn't find any crazy fish on the net.




moon fish


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## mpmorr

Sounds like a leatherjacket and they will sting the crap out of you if you touch thier belly and will last a while. I found out the hard way. Look anything like this?


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## GregBR549

Very similar to this. It is called an Atlantic Bumper.

Maybe it is a moon fish.


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## bellafishing

That's the ol' crazy fish, AKA Leather Jack. I haven't found a single fish that eats them yet. All I know is if that dorsal fin sticks you in the hand, it's going to hurt like hell for a while! Throw those back and try for some hardtails. 

Bob


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## true-king

If they're schooling up on the surface I'd say they are moon fish. I've been seeing a lot out and around pensacola pass. I will pull up to a school hoping for some good bait only to be disappointed by a sabiki full of moon fish. :banghead

Or it could be yellow jacks.


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## Jarhead

I've tried them several times when I ran out of bait and never gotten a bite with em'. Guys around me would be hooking up and I got nothing on them..


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## GregBR549

Thanks for the info. I'll pitch 'em back in or put them in the chum bucket.


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## FizzyLifter

Crazyfish, leatherjackets, zooloo's, whatever you want to call them, they're a pain in the arse!


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## kahala boy

If you are into making lures, I'm told that the skin makes good flashing material......


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## fishyfingers

The fish is called Atlantic Bumper "Chloroscombrus chrysurus", known locally as Crazyfish and incorrectly as Moonfish to the east. They have 2 very sharp anal spines that you will often find when trying to remove them from sabikis. They are not a prefered bait but they are hardy as hell and many fish will jump on them if they are alive.


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## Chris V

For bottom species they don't work that well most of the time, but for Tuna, dolphin and wahoo they are excellent bait. They do hurt when they stick you but you caneasily learn how to hold them without getting stuck.


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## jigslinger

Kings will eat them too. Snip the spines off before you use them and be careful handling them!


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## wrightackle

I used to toss the moonfish back but I found out they make good chum. Just use a serrated knife and chunk them up. Not much meat there but they do have a nice flash in the water when you chum with them. They really like to hang close to the bouys and the edge of the channel. You have to move away from them to have any chance of getting cigar minnows.


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## lobsterman

It sounds like a leatherjacket and it's good alright, good for lighting you happy rear up when it sticks you.


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