greater amberjack
Seriola dumerili
The bulldozer of the submerged reefs. Fights on the bottom with brute force and is the main target of vertical jigging in Brazil.
Also called: olho-de-boi, arabaiana, amberjack
- common size
- 70–130 cm
- maximum
- 190 cm
- common weight
- 6–30 kg
- record/max.
- 80.0 kg
- depth
- 18–200 m
- ideal water
- 20–26 °C
who is the greater amberjack
The olho-de-boi, called arabaiana in the Northeast, is one of the largest carangids on our coast and the king of vertical jigging. It lives over submerged reefs, wrecks, rocky ledges, and rocky heads on the shelf, generally between 20 and 150 m, in schools that rise behind the bait. When hooked it dives straight for the structure and tries to cut the line on the rock or the wreck's hull, so the first few meters decide the fight. Fish of 10 to 30 kg are common; over 40 kg, rare. It is one of the most physical boat fisheries in the country and also a highly prized table fish.
fun facts
- The school follows the hooked fish up to the surface, which allows double hookups.
- Juveniles live under sargassum and floating objects in open sea before moving down to the shoals.
identification
Elongated, deep body, blue-gray to olive back, silver flanks with a diffuse amber band. A dark oblique band from the snout, through the eye, to the nape, most distinct when the fish is excited. Dark tail, without strong yellow. The olhete is slimmer, has a yellow band on the flank, bright yellow tail, and more than 20 gill rakers on the first gill arch; the adult olho-de-boi has fewer than 20. The crevalle jack has scutes on the lateral line.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
where found
Submerged reefs and wrecks across the whole shelf, from the Northeast to the South. In the Southeast, the submerged reefs of Ilhabela, Ubatuba, and Santos-SP, Cabo Frio and Arraial do Cabo-RJ, and the wrecks of Vitória and Guarapari-ES are benchmarks. In the Northeast, large arabaianas come out of Natal-RN, Recife-PE, and southern Bahia. Laje de Santos-SP and Ilha do Arvoredo-SC are conservation units where fishing is prohibited.
Habitat: Bottom structures of the shelf: submerged reefs, reef ledges, wrecks, rocky heads, breaks, and platforms, 18 to 200 m. Juveniles travel with floating objects.
coast
states
Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
when to fish
best season
Can be fished all year. In the Southeast, the best jigging period runs from April to October, with clearer water and fish concentrated on the submerged reefs. In the Northeast fishing is good all year.
best time of day
Daytime. Fish by day. Current matters most: with water moving over the submerged reef the fish rises and strikes; without current it stays stuck to the bottom.
what affects the greater amberjack
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Tolerates water between 18 and 26 °C on the bottom well. A very shallow, cold thermocline sometimes pushes the fish up off the structure.
atmospheric pressure
A cold front stirs the sea and the current; fishing is usually good just before and two days after.
moon
Spring tides bring strong current, which activates the fish but calls for heavier jigs.
rain
Little effect on the bottom. Thunderstorm with lightning: head back.
water level
Not applicable at sea. The equivalent is the color and clarity of the water: look for blue, clean water and current lines.
noise
A school on a shallow submerged reef can sink with noise. Drift with the motor off.
wind
Wind against the current throws off the drift and pulls the jig away from vertical. Rough seas make jigging unfeasible.
tide
Moderate current over the submerged reef is ideal. No current, no fish moving.
depth
Usually 20 to 150 m, holding tight to the structure. The sonar shows the school rising behind the jig.
how to fish
- rod
- jigging 5'6" to 6'0", PE 3 to 6, for 150 to 400 g jigs
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- 8000 to 14000 spinning reel with 15 kg or more drag, or 400 to 500 size jigging baitcaster
- line
- braided PE 3 to 5 (40 to 80 lb), 300 m or more
- leader
- fluorocarbon 60 to 130 lb, 3 to 5 m
- hook
- double assist hooks 5/0 to 9/0; circle 7/0 to 10/0 on live bait
lures
- 150 to 400 g long jigs
- 150 to 300 g slow pitch jigs
- large stickbaits and poppers when the school rises
natural baits
- live xixarro, carapau, or sardine
- live squid
accessories
- fighting belt (gimbal)
- luvas
- split-ring pliers
- sonar
tip from an angler
Once hooked, lock the drag and pump nonstop for the first 10 to 15 meters. If you let the fish reach the rock or the wreck, you lose the line.
rules for the greater amberjack
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
A fish brought up from more than 40 m can suffer barotrauma (stomach pushed out of the mouth, bulging eyes). Release it quickly and, if possible, use a descender to take it back down to the bottom.
in the kitchen
White, firm flesh, excellent in steaks and grilled; sashimi from smaller fish. Very large specimens from tropical reefs may carry a risk of ciguatera.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01778, b = 2.91; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase — Seriola dumerili (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Seriola dumerili (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)National assessment by ICMBio, published in 2023. DOI verified on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Seriola dumerili (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 07/11/2013)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Carpenter, K. E. (org.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Roma: FAO.Chapter Carangidae (Smith-Vaniz, W. F.).
- scientific Menezes, N. A.; Buckup, P. A.; Figueiredo, J. L.; Moura, R. L. (orgs.) (2003). Catálogo das espécies de peixes marinhos do Brasil. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia da USP. 160 p.List of the marine species recorded in Brazil. Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase, which cites the catalogue for the species.
