Fish Identification Photos: Bigeye Jack, Bigeye Trevally, Bigeye Crevalle Jack, Caranx sexfasciatus: The Bigeye Jack is is a member of the Carangidae or Jack Family characterized by its very large eyes and elongated body with a widely forked tail. The Bigeye Jack is blue-green on top and silvery below, with an elongated body, a very large eye, a small black dot at the top of the gill cover, and dark scutes along the straight portion of the lateral line. Its dorsal and anal fin tips are white, and its caudal fin is yellowish to black.

The Bigeye Jack is pelagic and widely distributed across the central Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, from Africa, throughout Micronesia, and to the Eastern Pacific south to Ecuador. It forms large inshore schools.

In Mexico, the Bigeye Jack is found in the Los Cabos area of Baja California Sur, north along Baja's Cortez coast to Santa Rosalia, and in the coastal waters of mainland Mexico from Mazatlan south to Guatemala. It is also common to all offshore islands including the Tres Marias and Revillagigedos.

The Bigeye Jack is reported to reach up to 3.5-feet in length, and is found up to 200 feet deep. It travels in large schools and frequents reefs in search of small fish for food.

The Bigeye Jack is abundant on the Cabo Pulmo Reef where it is seen in massive schools and is preyed upon by Sea Lions. The fish is of keen interest to scuba divers. Its food value is considered “marginal” by locals.

Bigeye Jack, Caranx sexfasciatus: These jacks photographed at East Cape are about 16 to 24 inches long. The Bigeye Jack is bigger and more silver in color than a caballito. —Description courtesy Mark Rayor, Vista Sea Sport, Buena Vista, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Photos courtesy Ken Knezick.