Amberjack

      The Amberjack or Seriola dumerili belongs to the family of Jacks. The Amberjack is the largest fish in the Jack family. The Amberjack has a white underbelly, dark yellow sides, and a black stripe across the top of its body. The dark stripe on the top of its body is said to light up when the Amberjack goes into feeding mode. The average size of an Amberjack is 40 pounds, with the record weight being 142 pounds. 
     It is very important, when fishing for Amberjack, to use the right equipment. Cheap gear will catch you nothing except another trip back to the rod shop. Amberjack are heavy bodied fish and fight with great power. You will need heavy duty lines and heavy duty rods and reels. When fishing for Amberjack you must use a technique called drop fishing. Drop fishing is where you take your bait and drop it into the water, using a heavy weight so it will sink down to a deep depth. When drop fishing you can use a heavy lure as bait or you can use cut bait and a heavy weight. If you are using the lure, once your line reaches the right depth you slowly start to reel it in.  If you are using cut bait, once your line reaches the right depth you let it sit, and wait for your fish to bite. 
     Amberjacks are mainly caught at depths of over 50 feet, therefore you have to to out into the ocean to catch them. The smaller Amberjacks congregate in tight groups while the bigger ones are more spread out. The smaller ones will be found near offshore rigs and wrecks, where the depth of the water are generally 50 to 100 feet. The bigger Amberjacks are also caught near offshore rigs and wrecks, but the depth of the water is usually 200 to 500 feet deep. 
     Everything about the Amberjack is big, their size, their fight, and even their meat. Here is a recipe courtesy of "myrecipes.com"

Ingredients

• 1  (1-pound) amberjack fillet
• 1  tablespoon  paprika
• 2  teaspoons  onion powder
• 2  teaspoons  garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Cut fillet into 4 equal pieces. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Dredge fish in spice mixture; let stand 5 minutes.

2. Coat a large cast-iron skillet with cooking spray; place over high heat until very hot. Add fish, and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish, and cook 3 to 4 additional minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Fish should look charred. (You may prefer to do this procedure outside due to the small amount of smoke that is created.)

Works Cited

"Amberjack Fishing Methods Tips Tactics Techniques Characteristics How to Fish Catch AJ's." Saltwater Fishing Articles by Jerry LaBella HOME PAGE. Web. 20 Oct. 2010. <http://www.jerrylabella.com/amberjack.htm>.

"Blackened Amberjack." My Recipes. Jan. 2001. Web. 20 Oct. 2010. <http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=10000001732731>.

"Greater Amberjack, Fish Identification." Indian River County, Florida - Home Page. Web. 20 Oct. 2010. <http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/jackgrea.html>.