Species › Mediterranean › Greater Amberjack

Saltwater

Greater Amberjack

Seriola dumerili · amberjack, ricciola, sériole

Water temp
64–77°F
Peak season
Jun–Oct
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
156 lb 13 oz (71.15 kg)
Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili Florida.jpg)

Photo: Jorge Alarcon or Dr. Daniel Benetti · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Greater amberjack are stout, bronze-backed jacks with a dark diagonal stripe through the eye and amber flanks, distributed worldwide in warm seas and common throughout the Mediterranean, where Italy, Croatia, Greece, Spain and Malta all hold strong fisheries. They prowl deep rock walls, seamounts, wrecks and fish farms in 60–400 ft of water, hunting mackerel, squid and small pelagics, and move shallower in summer and autumn. Their brute strength and tendency to dive straight back into the rocks make them the apex challenge for vertical-jigging and live-bait anglers around the Mediterranean.

Typical size10–30 lb (4.5–14 kg); 28–40 in
Trophy80 lb+ in the Mediterranean; 100 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareExcellent — firm, rich flesh prized for sashimi and grilling

Where & when

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Amberjack move onto Mediterranean pinnacles and islands as the water warms in June and stay through October, with September–October the big-fish window; small fish gather around fish farms year-round.

Lampedusa and the Pelagie Islands, ItalySicilian channel islands famous for giant ricciolaKornati Islands, CroatiaAdriatic archipelago with steep walls and big amberjackColumbretes Islands, SpainVolcanic reserve off Castellón; deep pinnacles hold large fish

How to catch

Slow-pitch and speed jiggingDrop 150–300 g metal jigs to the base of a pinnacle or wreck and work them back up with sharp lifts and controlled falls through the bottom 60 ft. Strikes are brutal; set the drag heavy from the start and pump the fish away from the structure before it turns down.
Live-baitingSlow-troll or drift a live mackerel, horse mackerel or squid on a 6/0–9/0 circle hook over a drop-off, set 20–60 ft down on a downrigger or weighted line. Let the fish take the bait and come tight slowly rather than striking.

Gear

Rod5–6' heavy jigging rod rated PE 4–8, or 6' 50 lb-class stand-up rod
ReelLarge high-speed spinning (8000–14000) or 30–50 lb lever-drag
Line50–80 lb braid; 80–130 lb fluorocarbon leader

Lures

long slim speed jigsslow-pitch jigslarge stickbaits and poppers for surface feeders

Baits

live mackerellive squidhorse mackerelgarfish

Regulations

Most Mediterranean countries require a recreational sea fishing license and set minimum sizes and daily weight limits that often cover amberjack; marine reserves such as the Columbretes restrict or forbid fishing. Rules are national and sometimes regional, so check locally.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 156 lb 13 oz (71.15 kg) — Iki Island, Nagasaki, Japan, 2010 (Hideyuki Nemoto). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

How do you fish for amberjack in the Mediterranean?

Find steep structure, whether an island drop-off, a wreck or an offshore pinnacle, in 100–300 ft of water during late summer and autumn, and either drop heavy metal jigs to the bottom or slow-troll a live mackerel or squid. Heavy drag and strong tackle matter more than finesse, because an amberjack's first move is to bury itself in the rocks.

Bite forecast — Greater Amberjack

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Greater Amberjack.

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