How big are these AJ's?

[CFScheer]

The AJ's in the first two pics were caught on the jigs...as for the last one...well, the bait was caught on a jig....after which I took the 5 lb. yellowfin from my uncle and dropped it down on the 50 wide. As you can tell by my face though, the fish still got the best of me.

Believe it or not the one in the first pic was the first AJ I ever caught down here. My dad had just come from the Yucatan where jigging was becoming all the rage. Hooked up first drop with a 7 oz. benthos on a 6500 baitrunner, 50 lb. braid, and some crappy Cabela's composite rod rated 20-40....that took a while....

We got outselves properly outfitted after that and have been using the XXH spinning and conventional Trevalas ever since. The little guy (10 years old) you see in the middle pic actually hooked that fish. Big donkey just about pulled him out of the boat...hooked his feet onto the bow compartment and managed to keep rod in hands...little s**t was laughing hysterically the whole time. Understandably, his dad had to take over soon thereafter. We were using a penn 850 at the time...halfway through the fight it started making bad high pitched noises that spinning reels shouldn't make. Have switched over to Saragosas and Avet HXs since then...much better results.

-Cassidy
www.sierpedelpacifico.com
"Where the jungle meets the river that meets the sea"

[Jiggin Junkie]

http://www.rodnreel.com/fishcharts/FishCharts.asp

[Sea Draggin]

Does anyone have any estimates as to the size of these guys.

I would say they are one pound over Big Enough

Seriously 110-120lbs, but pictures are always deceiving, because next a big guy, even a big jack looks average.

Thanks for posting up!!! Glad to see you here and look forward to your reports.

[gman]

Better yet invite "G MAN" down I'm sure he'll bring a scales. He loves Reef Donkeys.

Capt Rick

hahaha Honestly that second and third picture looks like world record Almaco Jacks. They are definately in the 100-120 pound class

[Jesse Lockowitz]

I would say they are one pound over Big Enough

Seriously 110-120lbs, but pictures are always deceiving, because next a big guy, even a big jack looks average.

Thanks for posting up!!! Glad to see you here and look forward to your reports.

thats why my fish look small in pics its cuz im wide


those are some serious AJ's for sure.

[paul708]

some serious fish.
great report.
hope to see some more reports from down there.

[Ponce]

Nice AJ's they are big enough to make you ask yourself if you really wanted to hook them.

[FishNaddiction]

Those are dang big donkeys! I'm drooling. I have never caught any even close to that size but I know how hard the small ones fight. You must have been hurting after those fish.

[mythosbeer]

Nice jacks. I agree with Gman...that last one looks like a HUGE almaco jack. Love the pics!

mitch

[CFScheer]

Those are dang big donkeys! I'm drooling. I have never caught any even close to that size but I know how hard the small ones fight. You must have been hurting after those fish.

Yeah...they definitely put the hurt on! Seems (thankfully) that these bigger ones spend more time running rather than pounding you with thumps and shakes like the smaller ones....the Costa Rican 95% humidity and 95 degree temps really help out in the comfort dept. as well...

On more than one occasion he who is hooked up to one of these AJs has debated whether or not this outcome is actually "enjoyable".

I call it the "most fun you'll not want to repeat for at least an hour or two"

big smiles and F-bombs of joy when the fish hit's the deck tell the real story though....

- Cassidy

www.sierpedelpacifico.com
Riverfront Homesites with Ocean Access starting at $40K