yellow bobo
Polydactylus opercularis
Yellowish fish of beaches, bays and estuaries in the eastern Pacific, reaching 50 cm. It is of little commercial importance.
Also called: barbudo-amarelo, barbudo amarillo, bobo amarillo, yellow bobo
- maximum
- 50 cm
- depth
- 10–60 m
who is the yellow bobo
The yellow threadfin is a fish of the family Polynemidae, found in coastal waters, bays and estuaries of the eastern Pacific. It lives on sand and mud bottoms, from 10 to 60 m, and also appears on sandy beaches. It reaches 50 cm, and its common size is 25 cm. It has long filaments below the pectoral fins, which give it the name threadfin. It is of little commercial importance but is a highly prized table fish in the tropical eastern Pacific. In Latin America it ranges from Mexico to Paita, Peru, and is rare north of Baja California.
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 yellow bobo; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It has no swim bladder.
identification
Yellowish fish with no stripes or spots, with long filaments below the pectoral fins. The lateral line runs, without splitting, to the upper part of the tail. It has no swim bladder. On the same coast lives the blue threadfin (Polydactylus approximans), which is grey and has a swim bladder, which helps tell the two species apart.
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.
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 ranges from Mexico to Paita, Peru, and is rare north of Baja California.
Habitat: Coastal waters, bays and estuaries, on sand or mud bottoms, from 10 to 60 m, and also sandy beaches.
rules for the yellow bobo
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.
Not dangerous. Release it carefully, with wet hands, since it is a beach and estuary fish.
in the kitchen
Highly prized as a table fish in the tropical eastern Pacific.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00661, b = 3.07; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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: Polydactylus opercularis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Polydactylus opercularisNames by country and language.
