Fish Identification Photos: Golden Jack, Golden Trevally, Palometa Amarilla, Gnathanodon speciosus: The Golden Jack is one of the rarer members of the Carangidae or Jack Family found in Mexican waters.

The Golden Jack is characterized by its deep silver body that is yellowish on the bottom, fat fleshy lips, and scattered black patches on its sides when mature. All of its fins are yellow with the tips of the caudal fin being black. They have a distinguishing keel at the junction of the body and tail. Juvenile Golden Jacks have a very different appearance, being golden in color with 7 to 11 black bars on their sides.

The Golden Jack is quite similar in overall appearance to the Jack Crevalle, Caranx canius (has a characteristic black spot on its gill cover) and might be confused with the Bluefin Trevally, Caranx melampygus (blue fins, small black spots on its sides) and the Black Jack, Caranx lugubris (gray to black fins, highly visible black scutes, and a concave head profile).

The Golden Jack is found on the Pacific coast of the Baja California peninsula at least as far north as Magdalena Bay, in the lower three-fourths of the Sea of Cortez along the Baja side, and along the coast of mainland Mexico south of Mazatlan, and around all oceanic islands. The Golden Jack is found in deep lagoons and seaweed-covered reefs in the first 125 feet of the water column. The juveniles travel with sharks and large groupers for protection from predators. They are reported to reach a length of 4 feet and 40 pounds and can be a fierce foe that head straight for the rocks when hooked. It is viewed by locals as excellent table fare.

Golden Jack, Golden Trevally, Palometa Amarilla, Gnathanodon speciosus: Caught at Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Photo courtesy Larry Burson, Jig Stop Tours. Golden Jack, Golden Trevally, Palometa Amarilla, Gnathanodon speciosus: A juvenile Golden Jack caught at Las Arenas south of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, November 2002, by Capt. Isidro of Fishermen's Fleet. Photo courtesy Bill Mathias.