SlotGaugeCheck a catchOther Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) regulations in North Carolina
Jacks · Saltwater · 2026 season
Other Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC coastal waters (to 3 mi) | Open year-round | No size limit | 20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species |
| Federal waters (3–200 mi, SAFMC) | Open year-round | No size limit | 20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species |
Notes
- Counts toward the 20-fish per person per day aggregate; no more than 10 of the aggregate may be whitebone, jolthead, knobbed or saucereye porgy, scup (south of Cape Hatteras), gray triggerfish, bar jack, almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack, white grunt, margate, sailor's choice or spadefish combined.
- Snapper-grouper gear rules: non-offset, non-stainless circle hooks with natural bait; a dehooking tool and a descending device (16 oz weight, 60 ft line) must be on board; fish must be landed with heads and fins intact.
- Federal rules apply in both state and SAFMC waters; seasons can close early when catch limits are met — check safmc.net/regulations.
Exact NC Division of Marine Fisheries wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- 20 per person per day aggregate (no more than 10 of the listed species)
- NC coastal waters (to 3 mi) — as printed
- “The Other Jacks Complex includes almaco jack, banded rudderfish, and lesser amberjack. These species are included in the twenty (20) fish aggregate per person per day recreational bag and possession limit in Section XVII. C.”
Source: NC Division of Marine Fisheries, captured 2026-09-29 (2026 season).
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About the other jacks
Genus of fishes
Amberjacks are Atlantic and Pacific fish in the genus Seriola of the family Carangidae. They are widely consumed across the world in various cultures, most notably for Pacific amberjacks in Japanese cuisine; they are most often found in the warmer parts of the oceans. The many species of amberjack include greater amberjack (Atlantic), lesser amberjack (Atlantic), Almaco jack (Pacific), yellowtail (Pacific), and banded rudderfish (Atlantic). Though most of the Seriola species are considered "amberjacks", the species Seriola hippos is not.
Read more about Amberjack on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NC Division of Marine Fisheries, not Wikipedia.
All 120 North Carolina species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Other Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) in North Carolina?
No size limit in North Carolina state waters.
How many Other Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) can you keep per day in North Carolina?
20-fish aggregate per person per day; no more than 10 of listed species.
When is Other Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) season in North Carolina?
Open year-round.
Is my Other Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) a keeper today?
Other Jacks (almaco jack, banded rudderfish, lesser amberjack) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 20.