How To

How to Identify Black Jack Fish

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By Jonathan F.
eHow Contributing Writer

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Black Jack Fish (also known as Black Trevally) are most often seen on the business end of a fish market: salted or dried, they are enjoyed for their freshness, and not their beauty. In the open water, however, they can be a sight to behold, in reefs and oceans throughout the world.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Black jack fish can be found in tropical waters the world over: from Bermuda to Rio, from Japan to Tonga, from Mexico to Costa Rica, and from South Africa to the Seychelles.
Step 2

Their silver body lets them blend in with the open ocean - but they can also be brownish, or even black. Their head is severely slanted at about a seventy degree angle, followed by long, curved pectoral fins and a narrow, forked tail. They rarely reach more than three feet in length.
Step 3

Black jacks also possess a distinctive line of black scutes, from about mid-body to its tail fin.
Step 4

Black jacks can be found as deep as 1000 feet, but occasionally swim as shallow as thirty-five feet. In shallow water, black jack fishes can often be found cruising about local reefs.
Step 5

Although often solitary, black jacks also hunt in small groups. Built for speed, this fast hunter can sometimes even be spotted while chasing its prey.