# Targeting AJ's



## W69DY (Dec 13, 2014)

Any trips or tricks for targeting AJ's. how far out are they? 5,10,15,20 miles ? I have a 22 CC w/150 yammy and on a calm day I feel comfortable going 15-20 miles out. 
This is my first time targeting AJs so what's the best way to catch them. Live bait? Jigs? Frozen cigs? Hi/low rig? Knocker rig ? Thanks in advance.


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## W69DY (Dec 13, 2014)

Found this on the ole interweb. Let me know if there's anything else I should know. Particularly public or maybeeee some private numbers ))



The best time to target amberjacks in my region is during the winter and spring and all the way into early June, when the cooler water temperatures bring the fish in close to shore. That doesn’t mean amberjack fishing in July isn’t outstanding, you just have to go out a lot deeper to catch them.

You’ll find the fish out on the metal wrecks--the big ships like the USS Oriskany, the Dolphin Hole and the Ozark Target Ship. Some of the deeper ledges will also hold fish, but the bigger schools will definitely be on the deeper wrecks in the area in anywhere from 200 to 350 feet of water.

You’ll typically mark the amberjacks on your bottom recorder sitting above and to one end of the wreck. Depending on your bottom machine, they may mark as one big blob or individual oval marks, but they’re usually 30 to 100 feet above the wreck. Mark the wreck and the fish, figure out the drift, then put your bow into the current and hold the boat in place by bumping the engines in and out of gear.

The keys here is to deploy your baits to the fish that you are marking, and you do that by trial and error, moving the baits a lot and watching for them to show up on the bottom machine. If you get a bite, you can mark that spot on the line with a piece of string or rubber band, then you can drop to the correct depth to put the baits in front of the fish every time.

For tackle, I like 60 to 80 pound braided line on my reel. I like the braid because it has a thinner diameter, so you don’t get as much drag by the current, which makes it easier to get the bait right where you need it to be. A 4/0 to 6/0 conventional reel is perfect, particularly for the bigger fish. Some guys like to use spinning rods, especially when deep jigging with Williamson Speed Jigs.

Despite their aggressive nature, amberjacks can be very line shy, which is why most anglers targeting them use at least 15 feet of 60 to 100 pound monofilament leader, depending on the size class of the AJ’s you’re fishing, with the lighter leader for the smaller fish. Hook size should be determined by the bait size, but most often it’s a 7/0 to 9/0 4X strong VMC circle hook. 

Live hard tails (blue runners) and threadfin herring are the best baits because they’re very active. Other good baits are big mullet, ladyfish or even small bar jack. You want to fish at least two or three baits at a time, because when you do hook up, the rest of the fish in the school get excited and competitive, so you’re likely to get bit on the other rods as well. As long as you can keep a bait in the water, you can keep them biting. 

Amberjacks in my region can exceed 100 pounds, but the majority are in the 10 to 20 pound class. Out on the deeper rigs you can usually find some 30 to 40 pound fish, and fish over 50 pounds are not uncommon on some of the spots that don’t get a lot of fishing pressure.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Step 1: Get some squid and chicken rigs

Step 2: Run out about 25 miles and catch a well full of porgies 1 or 2 lbs each

Step 3: Find an wreck, drop one down and hang on

That's about it. You have to have BIG baits to catch a legal AJ. 
Game on and good luck.


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## Brads (Jun 12, 2016)

Like using jigs to get them fire up to the top then live line a hard tail. We go 10+ out. Be ready for the fight of your life.


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## W69DY (Dec 13, 2014)

That's what I want ! A FIGHT! Smiling and can't wait to get out on the water. This crappy weather is killing me!


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Where are you departing out of?
Generally, you will find them starting an around 100' depths, for our area (OBA) that is about 8+ miles out. Find some good structure, if it has some 'height' to it- better yet. But- they will typically be higher in the water column- so start by dropping your baits to the higher return on your sonar, that will more than likely be AJ. I found on a lot of our spots, the snapper held closer to the wrecks, and the AJ were higher over the wreck.
We use a lot of Ruby Lips and other larger baits on our deeper fish. I have even caught some of my larger ones on bonito. Don't be afraid your baits are too big- they can be veracious eaters! And will often swallow very large baits like whole bonito! On shallower wrecks I've fished I have used Shimano Flat Fall jigs- and if you chum some up near the surface, you can even throw lures at them- like a popper or one of the new Unfair Lures StickMinnow hard baits. 




Check out our YouTube channel for more of our videos on AJ.
We have about the same size boat / motor as you. We run up to 28- 35 miles out on average- depending on the conditions. Just be careful and choose your days!


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## W69DY (Dec 13, 2014)

Awesome info and video !!! I launch mostly out of Destin. It just closer for me but I have launched out of Pensacola a few times. I'm hoping to get out this weekend but I'm not sure that will happen. I guess we will see. Thanks again and keep it coming.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

W69DY said:


> Awesome info and video !!! I launch mostly out of Destin. It just closer for me but I have launched out of Pensacola a few times. I'm hoping to get out this weekend but I'm not sure that will happen. I guess we will see. Thanks again and keep it coming.


Yea- we are looking forward to going out too. But a little early to tell on the conditions.... but so far it looks like it could be about 2' seas for us? If that forecast holds, I plan on going.
Good luck!


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## Joe_Lee (Feb 23, 2014)

I'm ready as well, hoping for good conditions!


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

Awesome video! Got me pumped


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

More video action- since the weather is too nasty right now to fish


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

You can catch them just a few miles offshore . 
But your gonna have to put some miles on the boat to be able to consistently catch legal size ones. 
Allthough in my experience larger ones seam to come in closer in the winter but your still gonna have to run a good ways out to catch a single keeper per angler. 
20 miles out minimum


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Hope everyone is going to be "brushed up" on their "Lesser" and "Greater " Amberjack identification skills! Telling the difference between them and the Almaco Jacks are a bit easier. I have not seen any instructional video on YouTube describing the differences- but it is mentioned in this video from a couple years ago.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

I can't wait for a smooth day. Got a bait spot and an AJ spot that has always produced. I LOVE AJ steaks on the grill. And a 4 person limit is a great deal of meat. Just grilled my last AJ steaks last week, have been cryo-vacced since last year.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

*Updated: 01/04/17*

Well, some of you looking for favorable weather to go get some Greater Amberjack on the boat- Thursday might be the only decent day this week!

Coastal Waters From Pascagoula Ms To Destin Fl Out 20 Nm:
Forecast as of 6:04 am CST on January 4, 2017
Small craft should exercise caution

Today-North winds 15 to 20 kt diminishing to 13 to 18 knots. Seas 3 to 4 ft, diminishing to 2-3 ft late.

Thursday-Northeast winds 3 to 8 kt becoming southwest 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 ft or less.

Friday- Northeast winds 15 to 20 kt becoming north 20 to 25 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft, then becoming 3-6 ft late. . Showers likely.

Saturday- North winds 20 to 25 kt. Seas 4 to 8 ft. Chance of showers.

Sunday- Northeast winds 18 to 23 knots. Seas 2 to 5 feet.


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## W69DY (Dec 13, 2014)

Well crap !


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## 24ft fishmaster (Apr 26, 2012)

yes that's exactly what I said CRAP!


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

That pretty much confirms it! Thursday is the "one day" this week! For the rest of us- this weekend is crap!!


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Double crap, 2 months and the boat is still on the trailer, waxed and ready to go!


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Going to grab a three man limit of jacks and flounder tomorrow. I will be surprised if I go more than 6 or 7 miles out!


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

JD7.62 said:


> Going to grab a three man limit of jacks and flounder tomorrow. I will be surprised if I go more than 6 or 7 miles out!


I'm sure I speak for s couple of us- we're jealous! Looking like it'll be a good day out there tomorrow! Gonna be chilly!- dress warm. I want pictures or even video! Lol. I'm having withdrawals! :0
Buoy 42012, 01/04/17 15:50
Wind Direction: NNW (340°)
Wind Speed: 14 knots
Wind Gust: 19 knots
Significant Wave Height: 2 ft
Dominant Wave Period: 3 sec
Average Period: 3.4 sec
Mean Wave Direction: NW (310°)
Atmospheric Pressure: 29.93 in (1013.6 mb)
Pressure Tendency: +0.01 in (+0.5 mb)
Air Temperature: 62°F (16.4°C)
Water Temperature: 67°F (19.6°C)
Tomorrow- Variable winds 5 kt or less. Partly sunny. Seas around 1 ft.


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## Fishermon (Oct 19, 2007)

found me some skinny flounder nearshore the other day one after another...place was loaded with 13s for the most part...a couple 15s . When are they fattening up...good times. No Ajs for us tho.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

We smashed the flounder, kept only 23 because the size was way down. Lots of small fish this trip. Only 4 over 18".

I hit only one jack spot, I didn't want to put gas in my boat and figured I wouldn't need to go anywhere else because we smashed them there on the 28th. Well the fish were there but the sharks wanted them more than we did. Any prolonged fight ended up getting shared. Next closest spot was 9 miles away so I didn't try anywhere else.

Oh well, we will get them next time and I will have the fuel in the boat to run if I need to! LoL


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## NOsaints (Aug 8, 2011)

Lost some big AJ to BIGGER sharks, looked down at one point and saw 6-8 bull sharks circling the boat.....


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

*Sharks*



NOsaints said:


> Lost some big AJ to BIGGER sharks, looked down at one point and saw 6-8 bull sharks circling the boat.....


Yep we fed some Big Aj to the tax man as well.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

I guess the tax man knows AJ season is open too- LOL


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

Sounds like I need to go Sharkin thin some out !!!


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

Yep I scheduled two shark fishing charters already. The guys I'm taking have never caught a shark&#55357;&#56834;&#55357;&#56490;&#55356;&#57340;


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## Intervention (May 12, 2015)

*Big AJs*

Hopefully the URL will work. AJs are at the end.

http://youtu.be/09FD4xmTNxo

Video courtesy of Captain PJ


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