Tbe Jack 171 



this is exceptional. The northern range of the 

 fish, so far as the American angler is concerned, 

 may be considered St. Augustine. I have fished 

 for it unsuccessfully at Fernandina and from 

 there alongshore as far south as New Smyrna, 

 where it is caught. On the outer reef the jacks 

 appeared in numbers and began the " beating " 

 about the middle of April, sometimes a month 

 earlier, the schools frequently being of large size. 

 They apparently broke up into small bands and 

 were caught until November in goodly numbers, 

 the first norther ending what may be called the 

 season, though some jacks were to be had every 

 month in the year. They ranged in weight from 

 ten to thirty pounds, but I am positive that I 

 have seen jacks in a school off East Key which 

 must have weighed much more. The smaller 

 fishes, say of fifteen pounds, predominated. 

 They spawned on the reef in June or July, nearly 

 all fishes taken in May and April containing 

 spawn, and a few weeks later young were found 

 on the surface, every jellyfish being preempted by 

 the young of some species 



The best-known and the most available fishing- 

 ground for the jack, or cavally, is from Cape 

 Florida north on the West Florida coast, at 



