Know your amberjacks

Amberjack have a reputation as tough customers. If you want to test yourself against a fish, a big AJ is a fine choice. They’re sometimes called reef donkeys, and they have earned that nickname with their stubborn pulling. And just when you think you’ve got it to the boat, there’s a good chance it’s going to take off with 50 yards of line, so you get to do it all over again.

But there’s a lot more to amberjacks than that. We’re just talking about greater amberjack here, which is the species that gets the most attention. However, the Gulf off Southwest Florida is actually home to four species of amberjacks: Greater amberjack, lesser amberjack, almaco jack and banded rudderfish.