Fish

Chilean jack mackerel (jurel)

Jurel (jurel chileno)

Trachurus murphyi

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

10–18 in.

Depth

Surface to 300 ft.

Best time

Dawn and dusk.

Found in

2 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Streamlined jack with a blue-green to dark back, silver sides, big eyes, a row of bony scutes along the whole lateral line, and a small dark spot on the gill cover.
Typical size: 10–18 in.
Maximum size: About 28 in.
Diet: Small fish, krill and plankton.
Behavior: Forms huge schools that come close to shore and piers when food is near.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Peru and Northern & Central Chile. Open coastal and offshore waters of the southeast Pacific, from Peru to Chile and far out across the Pacific.
Habitat: Open coastal and offshore waters of the southeast Pacific, from Peru to Chile and far out across the Pacific.
Depth: Surface to 300 ft.
Fishing depth: Surface to 60 ft.
Best season: Varies by year with the ocean (El Niño changes everything).
Best time: Dawn and dusk.
Best tides: Moving tide from piers.
Best weather / conditions: Calm days.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Rigs Sabiki Jigs Bucket

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Open coastal and offshore waters of the southeast Pacific, from Peru to Chile and far out across the Pacific.
Rig up: Light to medium spinning rod. Not needed.
Pick your bait: Small strips of fish and squid. Lures: Sabiki rigs, small metal jigs and feathers.
Fish it: Jig sabikis or small metal lures from piers and boats when the schools move in.
Time it: Dawn and dusk. Moving tide from piers.

Fishing techniques: Jig sabikis or small metal lures from piers and boats when the schools move in.
BigJoe's tip: Great bait for corvina and other big fish.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Oily, rich meat; good fried, grilled or canned.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp scutes along the side.
Regulations: Commercial catches are under quotas; recreational limits vary — check local rules. Each country sets its own rules: Chile requires a recreational fishing license (from Sernapesca) for sea and fresh water, and Peru and Ecuador have their own size limits and closed seasons. Marine reserves and some bays are closed — check local rules before you keep fish.
Conservation: One of the world's biggest fisheries; once heavily overfished, now managed by quotas.

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Sources & photo credits