# Fish id? Amber jack vs Almaco jack



## Brandonshobie

I caught this fish not to long ago and I have a hard time of telling the difference between Ajs and a Almaco jack. What is the best way to tell the difference? This is the only shot I got of the fish so I didn't get the top dorsal fin in the pic


----------



## lobsterman

The easiest way to tell is obstructed in the picture. The Dorsal is long and hooked on an Almaco.

http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/jackalm.html


http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/jackgrea.html


----------



## Coryphaena

It's not an almaco jack. Almacos are deeper bodied than the other _Seriola _jacks, and the 2nd dorsal fin is longer than the pelvic fin when stretched out. Don't use color as your sole identifier, but Almacos also tend to be a darker color than the other _Seriola, _more olive in color. Without being able to see key features, you most likely have a young Greater Amberjack there.


----------



## CatHunter

petter


----------



## JoeyWelch

This will help.


----------



## Jason

Almaco is almost football shaped.....Looks like a regular ole AJ to me.....


----------



## CatHunter

Side by side comparison notice the almost greenish tint on the almaco


----------



## Mullethead

Excellent info - the pics and the chart nail it


----------



## Lyin Too

Which one eats the best?


----------



## Mullethead

almost identical - but the Almaco fillets are firmer - and since they mostly run smaller the meat is finer grained - If I had to choose I would pick almaco but i bet I would have difficulty telling the differnce on similar sized (i.e. 20 lb or over for a legal greater aj) fish


----------



## Lyin Too

We caught a bunch of small ones this past weekend at the Trysler Grounds that were 2 to 4 lbs each. Never seen em that small I dont have a clue which brand they were.


----------



## Yaksquatch

CatHunter said:


> Side by side comparison notice the almost greenish tint on the almaco


Good pic of body shape comparison between the 2. However, it'd be nice to see all the fins on both fish better. However, I have to say that color IS NOT indicative for either species. AJ looks like he was dead and sitting on ice for a while and the Almaco was just caught?

Here are a pair of Almaco's I caught on one jig last year with lighter coloration.









Thanks,
Alex


----------



## Mullethead

Yaksquatch said:


> Good pic of body shape comparison between the 2. However, it'd be nice to see all the fins on both fish better. However, I have to say that color IS NOT indicative for either species. AJ looks like he was dead and sitting on ice for a while and the Almaco was just caught?
> 
> Here are a pair of Almaco's I caught on one jig last year with lighter coloration.
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Alex


 
Good point - color is misleading on many fish - grouper go through all kinds of color shifts - body shape- gill rakers - eye position are the right ques


Catch jacks must have been fun on that little jigging set up - thats an Avet SX?


----------



## whipper snapper

Lyin Too said:


> Which one eats the best?


almaco


----------



## MrFish

Just look for the sickle shaped dorsal fin. Easiest way.


----------



## spinfactor

Lyin Too said:


> Which one eats the best?


In my opinion Almaco as well as Lesser Amberjack are much better than Greater Amberjack with Almaco as first pick. But I also prefer Mingo and most other snappers varieties over Red Snapper.


----------



## lowprofile

almaco. they get big too. (OP has a greater)

Photo credit : Salty Rods fishing.


----------



## Jason

Coryphaena said:


> It's not an almaco jack. Almacos are deeper bodied than the other _Seriola _jacks, and the 2nd dorsal fin is longer than the pelvic fin when stretched out. Don't use color as your sole identifier, but Almacos also tend to be a darker color than the other _Seriola, _more olive in color. Without being able to see key features, you most likely have a young Greater Amberjack there.


Karon speaks, ALL LISTEN!!! Aint seen her on in a while, just noticed it's an OLD post!!! Karon is a world book of knowledge!


----------

