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How to catch Leatherjacket

Oligoplites saurus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

About Leatherjacket fishing

The leatherjacket is a sleek, fusiform coastal fish belonging to the jack family Carangidae, reaching a maximum length of thirty-five centimetres. It features an elongate, strongly compressed body with small needle-shaped scales embedded in the skin, a blue-green back, and silvery flanks often adorned with subtle golden highlights. This schooling species inhabits shallow inshore waters, sandy beaches, bays, inlets, and mangrove estuaries down to depths of fifty metres. Adults are active daytime predators that feed voraciously on small fish and crustaceans, frequently hunting in fast-moving groups near the surface. While their dorsal and anal spines are traditionally associated with venomous glands, they are primarily recognised by inshore anglers for their incredible speed and energetic fighting ability.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    27 cm TL

  • Market value

    Medium

  • Habitat

    Brackish, Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Jack, Leather jacket, Leathercoat, Leatherjack, Mackerel, Needlejack

Leatherjacket

Separate dorsal spines

Five nearly separate spines precede the main dorsal fin.

Extended upper jaw

Posterior end of upper jaw reaches posterior rim of eye.

Yellowish fins

Pectoral and caudal fins show distinct yellowish coloration.

Leatherjacket fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    27 cm TL (max 35 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0.3 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    21.8–28 °C

  • Depth

    0–50 m

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    25.6

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Peak

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Active

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Active

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Leatherjacket

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Leatherjacket

Tips for catching Leatherjacket

Target fast-moving schooling fish along shallow sandy beaches, tidal inlets, and mangrove edges by employing light spinning gear with fast retrieves. Because these predators aggressively chase small fish and crustaceans near the surface, cast small shiny spoons, slim metal jigs, or floating twitchbaits into active surface disturbances. Exercise extreme caution when handling captured specimens to avoid painful punctures from the venomous spines along the dorsal and anal fins.

Other names for Leatherjacket

Local and alternate names anglers use for Leatherjacket.

  • Leatherjack
  • Leathercoat
  • Leatherjacket
  • Leather jacket
  • Shoemaker
  • Runner
  • Needlejack
  • Mackerel
  • Zapate
  • Jack

Best equipment to catch Leatherjacket

Compare fishing methods for Leatherjacket — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.2 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Leatherjacket

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

How Leatherjacket migrates — Inshore–offshore

Shifts between shallow inshore water and deeper offshore grounds with the season.

How Leatherjacket migrates — Inshore–offshore 1. Warm months: Stay close inshore through the warm months. 2. Cold months: Move offshore into deeper water as it cools.
Inshore Offshore

1 Warm months

Inshore

Stay close inshore through the warm months.

2 Cold months

Offshore

Move offshore into deeper water as it cools.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Leatherjacket

  • Diet

    Top predator

  • Feeds by

    Hunts animals

  • Hunts

    Dawn · Morning

  • Feeds over

    Coral reefs · Mangroves

  • Social

    Schooling

  • Main prey

    Baitfish

  • Used as bait

    Yes

Prey and predators of Leatherjacket

Prey is what Leatherjacket eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

That is how it feeds, and how it is hunted.

Prey

What it eats

Where Leatherjacket lives

Tied to reefs and rocky structure in shallow coastal water.

Habitats
Brackish, Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral
Continental shelf · 0–50 m
Water column
Benthic
Structure and substrate

Where this species lives

Where to fish for Leatherjacket

Mapped fishing spots where Leatherjacket is recorded — open a pin for access and methods.

Baixio Pequeño

VitóriaEspírito SantoBrazil