Greater amberjack out of Port Fourchon hold on three kinds of structure: natural hard bottom, a named CCA reef, and offshore oil rigs. Only the reef can be plotted ahead of time. Jacob Meek Reef sits at South Timbalier 165, and the expanded Jacob Meek Reef II lies in 91 ft. The hard bottom and the rigs you have to find yourself. The wider picture is in the greater amberjack fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico fishing guide.
If you’re launching at Port Fourchon, this briefing covers when the fish are around, which structure you can plot, which you find on your own sounder, how locals fish it, and where the rules live.
When greater amberjack are around Port Fourchon
Biology and general seasonality are covered in our greater amberjack species guide. This section sticks to what applies out of Fourchon.
What local captains say
Local captains describe amberjack here as "not seasonal." Plan on them being a target through the year, and let the regulations decide what you can keep.
Season status
Whether fish are present and whether harvest is open are separate questions. The current season is not confirmed, and regulation determines if harvest is open. Read the Regulations section below and check the agency pages before you leave the dock.
Where boats run from Fourchon
Work from what you can plot to what you have to find. The table lists what is published for each kind of structure.
| Structure | Type | Depth | Location reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Meek Reef II | CCA reef | 91 ft | About 45 miles south of Terrebonne Bay, South Timbalier 165 |
| Natural hard bottom | Natural bottom | Found with electronics | |
| Offshore oil rigs | Rigs |
Jacob Meek Reef II (South Timbalier 165)
Jacob Meek Reef sits at South Timbalier 165 and is a CCA reef. It was expanded and renamed Jacob Meek Reef II, as reported in January 2025, and it lies in 91 ft, about 45 miles south of Terrebonne Bay.
The lease-block name ties the reef to a charted lease grid, so you can plot it before you leave, and the 91 ft figure gives you a number to confirm on the sounder when you arrive. The 45 miles is measured from Terrebonne Bay, so plot your own run from the dock.
Natural hard bottom
Natural bottom is fished from Fourchon. The unnamed hard bottom is located with electronics, and no one publishes it, so you find it on your own sounder.
Lay the Chart Contours layer over your sounder marks to see where the bottom changes. Chart layers are not for navigation.
Oil rigs
Offshore oil rigs in the Fourchon area are fished. No distance or depth is published, so find them on your own electronics.
How amberjack are fished locally
Bottom fishing natural bottom
The local method is bottom fishing natural bottom. Work the hard bottom you marked, and fish the structure you plotted with the same approach.
Almaco jack on the same bottom
Almaco jack are named alongside amberjack on the natural bottom fished from Fourchon. For more on reef fish on the same bottom, see our regional reef fish guides.
Who fishes for amberjack out of Port Fourchon
Down The Bayou Charters, run by Capt. Joey Maciasz out of Fourchon, La., lists greater amberjack. Booking a captain is one way to see the grounds before running your own boat.
FAQ: greater amberjack fishing out of Port Fourchon
Is greater amberjack fishing out of Port Fourchon seasonal?
Local captains describe amberjack here as not seasonal. Regulation sets whether harvest is open, so check the Louisiana and federal pages before you fish.
How deep is Jacob Meek Reef II?
Jacob Meek Reef II sits in 91 ft. It is the expanded and renamed Jacob Meek Reef, a CCA reef.
Where is Jacob Meek Reef II?
It sits at South Timbalier 165, about 45 miles south of Terrebonne Bay. That distance is measured from Terrebonne Bay, not from Fourchon.
What else bites on the same bottom?
Almaco jack are named alongside amberjack on the natural bottom fished from Fourchon.
Where do I check the amberjack rules?
Check the Louisiana regulations page and the federal Gulf reef fish rules before you fish, since state and federal waters can differ.
