finespotted jawfish
Opistognathus punctatus
Jawfish of sandy bottoms in the eastern Pacific, living in excavated burrows. It can be caught with a rod and is also sold for aquariums.
Also called: boca-grande, bocón punteado, finespotted jawfish
- maximum
- 41 cm
- record/max.
- 1.1 kg
- depth
- 50–90 m
who is the finespotted jawfish
The spotted jawfish is a fish of the family Opistognathidae, with a large head and wide mouth, living on sandy bottoms in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Panama. It is usually found between 50 and 90 m deep. It is a nocturnal species that digs and cleans its own burrow, where it hides. It feeds on small fish, crustaceans and other invertebrates. It reaches 40.6 cm and 1.1 kg. It can be caught with a rod, but has little commercial interest, and is also sold for aquariums.
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 finespotted jawfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It cleans and digs its own burrow, keeping it tidy.
identification
Elongated body and large head, with a wide mouth, typical of jawfish. The name suggests a body covered in fine dots. On the same coast, the giant jawfish (Opistognathus rhomaleus) is larger, reaching 51 cm, and lives on sand and gravel bottoms. The size thus helps tell apart the two species, which share the same general shape.
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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 ranges from Magdalena Bay, in Baja California, to Panama, passing through the Gulf of California and Central America.
Habitat: Sandy bottom, usually from 50 to 90 m, where it digs burrows.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It is a nocturnal species that cleans and digs its own burrow.
rules for the finespotted jawfish
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.
It has no spines or venom. If caught with a rod, release it carefully and without squeezing the body.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00389, b = 3.12; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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: Opistognathus punctatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Opistognathus punctatusNames by country and language.
