catalog Triglidae · predator

lumptail searobin

Prionotus stephanophrys

EstuarySea

Sand-bottom cabrinha of the eastern Pacific, with long black pectorals with light spots. Lives from a few meters to over 200 m, and is caught by boat bottom fishing and from the beach.

Also called: cabrinha-do-pacífico, lumptail searobin, blackfin searobin

forecast for lumptail searobin where found

Scientific illustration of Lumptail searobin

common size: 25–35 cm
maximum: 43 cm
common weight: 0.1–0.3 kg
record/max.: — kg
depth: 18–46 m
ideal water: 16–25 °C

overview

who is the lumptail searobin

Eastern Pacific cabrinha, from southern Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru (FishBase extends the range from the Columbia River, USA, to Chile). Lives on sand, mud and gravel bottoms, from 2 to 255 m, generally 18 to 46 m, and enters brackish waters. Reaches 43 cm, but the common size is around 30 cm. It has a commercial fishery and is classed as a sport fish; in Peru it is the falso volador, with a legal minimum size of 20 cm. For anglers it is a bottom fish, caught from boats and beaches with small natural baits.

fun facts

In Peru, the official minimum-size list calls it falso volador.
Local names vary widely: rubio volador and vaca voladora in Mexico, gallina in Ecuador, gallinazo in Colombia and vocador in Peru.

how to recognize it

identification

Moderately high head, wide between the eyes, with a broad snout and a long mouth reaching slightly past the eye; a smooth spine at the end of the preopercle. Two separate dorsal fins (the first with 10 spines). Grayish brown above and white below, with long black pectorals with light spots behind, and three short free rays. The first dorsal has a black blotch on its outer side, between the 4th and 5th spines, and the second dorsal and tail have rows of dark speckles that form bars on the tail.

how lumptail searobin fishing looks

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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.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific, from southern Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru, through Central America and Colombia, and at the Galápagos and Malpelo. FishBase runs from the Columbia River (USA) to Chile, but the species is rare north of Baja California.

Habitat: Sand, mud and gravel bottoms; also in brackish waters.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of year

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fished all year; no documented season for the species.

best time of day

Any time. Bottom fish with no specific time data; natural bait on the bottom works at any hour (estimate).

weather, water and behavior

what affects the lumptail searobin
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Little direct effect.

atmospheric pressure

Little direct effect.

moon

Little effect.

rain

Little effect; a flood can move the fish away from the shore.

water level

Not applicable at sea.

noise

Not very sensitive; bottom fishing does not require silence.

wind

Strong wind makes it hard to keep the boat over the bottom.

tide

Moderate current carries the bait to the sand bottom where the fish is.

depth

Generally 18 to 46 m, but found from 2 to 255 m.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Bottom fishing from a boat Natural bait on the bottom Bottom casting

rod: 6' to 7', 10 to 20 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 3000 to 4000
line: braided line 15 to 25 lb
leader: fluorocarbon 20 to 30 lb, 1 m
hook: circle or single hook 1/0 to 2/0

lures

jig head with silicone shrimp dragged along the bottom

natural baits

shrimp
squid strips
fish pieces

accessories

sinker, 60 to 150 g
glove or cloth to hold the fish
alicate

tip from an angler

Let the bait roll along the sand bottom, near the sinker, and use a small hook: the fish is small, and a large bait goes past without being taken.

what the law says

rules for the lumptail searobin

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

Mexico: up to 5 per species and 10 saltwater fish per day

5 specimens of the species per angler per day, within the limit of 10 saltwater fish

In federal waters of Mexico, recreational sport fishing allows each angler to keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The Pacific cabrinha (rubio volador) is not among the species reserved for sport fishing (marlins, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon (sábalo), roosterfish and dorado, up to 50 nautical miles from shore, item 0.3 of the standard) and has no quota of its own. Fish over the quota must go back alive, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. From shore you need no permit; from a boat, you do (permits under the Federal Duties Law, item 4.3).

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), published in the DOF on Nov 25, 2013, items 0.3, 4.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5 and 4.11 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

Peru: minimum size of 20 cm for the falso volador

20 cm total length (tolerance of up to 20% of smaller fish)confirm with the agency

Ministerial Resolution 209-2001-PE, of the former Ministry of Fisheries (now PRODUCE), prohibits extracting, receiving, transporting, processing and selling the falso volador (Prionotus stephanophrys) under 20 cm total length. The annex allows up to 20% smaller fish in the catch. The rule dates from 2001, and the annex changed for other species after it: check with PRODUCE whether the value is still in force.

Source: Resolución Ministerial nº 209-2001-PE (Ministry of Fisheries, Jun 26, 2001), art. 3 and Annex I, list of minimum catch sizes for marine fish

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.

Hold it with a cloth or glove: the opercle spines and the tips of the dorsal fin pierce the hand. Remove the hook with pliers and release it quickly. In Peru, release those under 20 cm.

in the kitchen

Small fish with white flesh; good fried, in soup or in fish stew.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.00955, b = 2.95; 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

The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.

scientific FishBase: Prionotus stephanophrys (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Prionotus stephanophrysNames by country and language.
scientific Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2024). Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Prionotus stephanophrysDescription, colors, size (at least 43 cm), depth (2 to 255 m) and distribution (southern Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru, Galápagos and Malpelo). Page checked Oct 13, 2026.
scientific Eschmeyer, W. N.; Herald, E. S.; Hammann, H. (1983). A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.Main FishBase reference for sand and mud habitat.
official Perú, Ministerio de Pesquería: Resolución Ministerial nº 209-2001-PE, tallas mínimas de captura y tolerancia máxima de ejemplares juveniles de principales peces marinos e invertebrados (26/06/2001)Text checked in the FAOLEX copy. Annex I lists common names, scientific names, lengths, type of measure and tolerance in separate columns; the falso volador (Prionotus stephanophrys) row was checked by column order: 20 cm, total length, 20% tolerance. Article 3 prohibits extracting, receiving, transporting, processing and selling below the sizes. We did not confirm whether the value is still in force or whether it was changed later for this species.
official DOF: Modificação da NOM-017-PESC-1994, para regular a pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do México (publicada em 25/11/2013)Species reserved for sport fishing (item 0.3), permits (4.3 and 4.14), rod and hooks (4.6), bait (4.7), daily quotas at sea (4.9.1) and in fresh water (4.9.2), catch and release (4.9.5), closed areas and seasons (4.10) and the ban on selling the fish (4.11). Text checked Oct 13, 2026. The text carries the signature date of Oct 14, 2013; the DOF publication date (Nov 25, 2013) is the one the catalog already uses.