Jack Theories

[gaz066]

I am interested to get others opinions regarding Jack fishing and location but……. I have noticed on many occasions that after I get one fish I can sit on the same spot for many hours after for not a touch.

Is it best to move on straight away after landing a fish?

Is that fish ‘king of the castle’ and the dominant fish of that snag or rock bar and other fish have to find a new location? (I think yes)

I have many jack spots but one spot that I fish fairly regularly appears to be giving up a pattern, after 10 or so trips to this spot over the last 2 years have managed a fish on nearly every trip but only one fish. Last night for example landed a nice fish (52cm) in the first 15 mins of arriving with sun still going down and 2 hours before a tide change. I was thinking we might get a couple and sat there for around 5 hours for zip.

A few questions swirling around in my head are

Would the size of the structure matter? For example if the snag or rock bar was larger could it “accommodate” more than one jack?

Has anyone pulled multiple fish from one piece of structure in the same session?

Has anyone experienced the same as me, one fish then zip?

If you have any theories I would love the hear them.

cheers Parksy

[NAGG]

Honestly Gaz - I think it is a case of dominant fish (on a snag) ...... I've fished a few locations over the years in reasonably clear water and you can see that if they are smaller fish - there can be plenty of them but if you see a bigger fish it will generally be in the primo spot on it's own . If it is a big snag yes it could hold a few .
Most multiple captures seem to come from an area where fish are moving around - rock walls or holes/ flats

If you get a chance to watch a jacks in a fish tank /aquarium - you will see what I mean .

Chris

[tunaticer]

Your spot sounds typical to me for an isolated snag, not too often you will get multiples from one piece of structure unless it is quite large.
I prefer to find spots where there is some reasonable water nearby extensive flood zones with mangroves. These spots will produce good numbers of jacks at the bottom of the tide. Come the rising tide you will not get a nibble though.

[gaz066]

Thanks Chris and Tunaticer, I appreciate the input .

[hellfish]

I have got mutiple jacks from the same snag/structure on many occasions. Most times when this happens the fish are taken cast for cast or within a few casts of each other. When someone else is in the boat double hook ups are common. I put this down to fish within a school being competative and once one strikes it creates a little feeding frenzy. The bite is always over shortly after a few fish have been landed or lost though. This always seems to be with small (less than 50cm) fish. Larger +50 fish seem to be as you say, one fish often soon after arriving at the snag, then zilch for hours of casting. Perhaps they are more solitary at this size. Just my observations of the red bastards. Gotta love em though.:D

[gaz066]

Thanks to those few guys who took the time to respond and it seems you have had similar experiences with larger fish dominating the locale. I have had multiple small fish sessions but mostly little tackers. One spot in particular i know its quite common to get a couple of little blokes in the cast net, all released of course. I actually tag and release all my line caught jacks regardless of size.

Looks like its time to give the livies a rest and go back to lures fishing several locations in a session AKA run and gun.

Cheers Parksy

[Sheik]

Honestly Gaz - I think it is a case of dominant fish (on a snag) ...... I've fished a few locations over the years in reasonably clear water and you can see that if they are smaller fish - there can be plenty of them but if you see a bigger fish it will generally be in the primo spot on it's own . If it is a big snag yes it could hold a few .
Most multiple captures seem to come from an area where fish are moving around - rock walls or holes/ flats

If you get a chance to watch a jacks in a fish tank /aquarium - you will see what I mean .

Chris
Yep, agree with Chris. Several times I have caught 3 in a session. Once in the Mary (qld) when I got three off the same snag, and have never caught another jack there or anywhere else in the Mary despite thousands of hours. All over 50 on livies.
Have another favourite spot where it's common to get three off the one ten metre stretch (live bait) but can't remember ever getting one on a run up tide. Get em in the Maroochy on the run up though.

[BLOOEY]

I got very lucky yesterday arvo when i tangled with at least 8 jacks. Landed 3 and all fish coming from exactly the same spot, 2 around 50cm and another low 40's. Most sessions in the past have generally only given up the solitary bigger jack though as you have mentioned. I think if you find a prime feeding area holding lots of bait then multiples are more likely. Wicked fish. Ben

[NAGG]

yet ..... if you look at a closely related fish "Fingermark" you can catch multiples off the same structure of various sizes - go figure !

Chris

[Sheik]

yet ..... if you look at a closely related fish "Fingermark" you can catch multiples off the same structure of various sizes - go figure !

Chris
You'll know if I'm wrong Chris but they have slightly different lifestyles don't they? The jack tend to stay more in the estuaries until they're big enough to go out to breed whereas the fingermark seem to hang around little offshore reefs instead of the estuaries? This would explain why fingermark rely on schooling for protection while jack rely on ambush? But I could be wrong.

[NAGG]

You'll know if I'm wrong Chris but they have slightly different lifestyles don't they? The jack tend to stay more in the estuaries until they're big enough to go out to breed whereas the fingermark seem to hang around little offshore reefs instead of the estuaries? This would explain why fingermark rely on schooling for protection while jack rely on ambush? But I could be wrong.

I'm talking about fingermark that are caught in the estuaries ...... from what I understand both grow up in the estuaries & leave when mature to live their lives on the reefs & around rocky headlands / outcrops

Chris

[gaz066]

Yep, agree with Chris. Several times I have caught 3 in a session. Once in the Mary (qld) when I got three off the same snag, and have never caught another jack there or anywhere else in the Mary despite thousands of hours. All over 50 on livies.
Have another favourite spot where it's common to get three off the one ten metre stretch (live bait) but can't remember ever getting one on a run up tide. Get em in the Maroochy on the run up though.

Sheik, most of my spots always on the run out also, never dead slack there needs to be some run and always on the pressure side of the snag not often the eddy behind it

Parksy

[FishHunter]

My 1st 2 Jacks 48 and 54cm came from opposite sides of the same large rock within about an hour of each other, which seems to bear out the theory that the larger ones stake out a spot

[warti]

Fingermark are definately in the creeks and rivers. You won't catch monster ones but fish of a few kilos. I think they are susceptible to over fishing though as they school up, generally in deeper rocky holes. The big ones would pull a jack backwards IMHO.