Seriola dumerili
Deep, elongated body with powerful forked tail. Amber-gold to bronze sides with olive-brown back. Prominent dark diagonal bar from the upper jaw through the eye to the front of the dorsal fin. White belly. Overall muscular, football-shaped body built for power.
Males and females look identical and reach similar sizes. Both are powerful fighters.
Average catch is 20-40 lbs. Quality fish run 40-80 lbs. Trophy amberjack exceed 100 lbs. The world record is 156 lbs 13 oz, caught off Bermuda in 1981. Gulf fish commonly exceed 60 lbs.
Live bait (blue runners, hardtails, pinfish) freelined or on a knocker rig near wrecks and reefs in 100-200+ feet is the top technique. Drop the bait to the top of the structure and hold on. Vertical jigging with heavy butterfly or speed jigs (200-400g) is extremely effective and has revolutionized amberjack fishing. Large topwater plugs and poppers can draw amberjack to the surface during feeding frenzies. The key is getting them away from structure immediately — heavy tackle and an aggressive hookset are essential.
Heavy conventional rod (5'6"-6 ft), reel loaded with 65-80 lb braid, 80-100 lb fluorocarbon leader, 7/0-9/0 circle or J-hooks. Stand-up gear recommended. This is NOT a light-tackle species.
Minimum size limit is typically 30-34 inches fork length. Bag limit of 1 fish per person in most Gulf areas. Seasonal closures are common (often June-July). Check current regulations.
Regulations change frequently. Always verify current rules with your charter captain or state wildlife agency before fishing.
Florida · Northeast
Florida · Nature Coast
Florida · Tampa Bay
Florida · Space Coast
Florida · Nature Coast
Alabama · Gulf Coast
Florida · Panhandle
Antigua & Barbuda · Antigua Coast
Florida · Northeast
Florida · Southeast
Alabama · Mobile Bay
Florida · Southwest
Florida · Panhandle
Texas · Upper Coast
Grenada · Grenada Coast
Saint-Martin · Saint-Martin Coast
Louisiana · Southeast Louisiana
Alabama · Gulf Coast
Florida · Nature Coast
Florida · Keys
Florida · Northeast
Florida · Keys
Florida · Keys
Florida · Keys
Florida · Southwest
Florida · Space Coast
Florida · Southeast
Florida · Southwest
Florida · Space Coast
Alabama · Gulf Coast
Florida · Panhandle
Florida · Panhandle
Texas · Mid Coast
Louisiana · Cajun Coast
Dominica · Dominica Coast
Dominica · Dominica Coast
Florida · Southwest
Dominica · Dominica Coast
Florida · Space Coast
Sint Maarten · Sint Maarten Coast
Barbados · Barbados Coast
Florida · Northeast
Florida · Tampa Bay
Florida · Nature Coast
Florida · Southeast
Florida · Tampa Bay
Florida · Tampa Bay
Louisiana · Southeast Louisiana
Florida · Southeast
Expert tips, seasonal reports, and fishing guides featuring Amberjack.
Connect with experienced captains who specialize in nearshore fishing.
Find Charters