gulf grouper
Mycteroperca jordani
Giant badejo of the Mexican Pacific, found on rocky reefs and kelp beds. It is a sport-fishing target but is threatened, so it is worth recognizing it and releasing it.
Also called: badejo-do-golfo, badejo, baya, gulf grouper
- maximum
- 198 cm
- record/max.
- 91.0 kg
- depth
- 5–30 m
who is the gulf grouper
The badejo-do-golfo belongs to the family Epinephelidae and reaches 198 cm, weighing up to 91 kg. It occurs from southern California, in the United States, to Mazatlán, Mexico, on rocky reefs and kelp beds, between 5 and 30 m deep. In California, the few large adults caught probably come from populations farther south. Large adults feed on fish. Because of its size it is a sport-fishing target, while commercial fishing is small. It is threatened, so the recommendation is to recognize it and release it.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the gulf grouper; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- There are records of it eating juvenile hammerhead sharks.
identification
Adults plain brown or uniform gray, which can quickly change to the juvenile spot pattern when threatened. Large adults have a white margin on the pectoral fin and a thin white edge on the unpaired fins. Juveniles are gray-brown, with dark spots on the upper half of the body. Do not confuse it with the garoupa-galo (Hyporthodus acanthistius), which is red or brown and has a black moustache-like band above the maxilla.
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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.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it lives only in Mexico, on the Pacific coast up to Mazatlán. The species occurs from southern California, in the United States.
Habitat: Rocky reefs and kelp beds, from 5 to 30 m.
rules for the gulf grouper
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.
No danger to anglers. It is threatened: handle with care, as it is a large fish, and release it promptly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00912, b = 3.05; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Mycteroperca jordani (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Mycteroperca jordaniNames by country and language.
