catalog Scombridae · forage fish

pacific chub mackerel

Scomber japonicus

Sea

Mackerel with fine, wavy stripes on the back and a pale belly, forming coastal schools in the Pacific. It fights well on light tackle and is widely used as bait.

Also called: cavalinha-do-pacífico, cavalinha, caballa, chub mackerel, Pacific chub mackerel

forecast for pacific chub mackerel where found

Scientific illustration of Pacific Chub mackerel

common size: 25–40 cm
maximum: 64 cm
common weight: 0.1–0.6 kg
record/max.: 2.9 kg
depth: 50–200 m
ideal water: 15–20 °C

overview

who is the pacific chub mackerel

The Pacific chub mackerel (cavalinha-do-pacífico), the caballa of Spanish-speaking countries, is a coastal pelagic schooling fish, living at 0 to 300 m, usually 50 to 200 m, in waters of 10 to 27 °C. On a global scale it ranges from South Africa and the western Pacific to Alaska and Chile. Atlantic records, including the Mediterranean, belong to another species, Scomber colias, the Atlantic chub mackerel. Adults stay near the bottom by day and rise at night to feed on copepods, crustaceans, fish and squid. They spawn in batches, with water between 15 and 20 °C, and each female releases 100,000 to 400,000 eggs. It matures at 26 cm, reaches 64 cm and 2.9 kg and lives up to 18 years. It is heavily fished commercially, farmed in Japan and used as bait.

fun facts

Schools organize by size from about 3 cm and can mix with Pacific bonito, jack and Pacific sardine.
The mackerel caught in the Atlantic, including in Brazil, is now Scomber colias, according to FishBase.
It lives up to 18 years, according to FishBase, and is already commercially farmed in Japan.

how to recognize it

identification

Fusiform, slightly compressed body. Back with fine, wavy zigzag stripes; silvery flanks; belly without marks in the Pacific population (in the Atlantic, with wavy lines). Two dorsal fins separated by a gap equal to or smaller than the base of the first, five finlets above and below the base of the tail, and a small single keel between the pelvic fins. No well-developed corselet. The anal spine is clearly visible, separate from the rays and joined to them by a membrane. A belly with wavy lines indicates the Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias).

how pacific chub mackerel fishing looks

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.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Anti-tropical in the Indo-Pacific: from South Africa and Madagascar to the Philippines, north to Russia and the Gulf of Alaska, and south to Chile. In Latin America, in the Pacific, from Mexico to Chile, including El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. FishBase attributes the Atlantic records (including Argentina) to Scomber colias.

Habitat: Coastal and shelf waters, in the water column, from 0 to 300 m and usually 50 to 200 m; schools organized by size.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of year

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The sources consulted give no fishing season by country. Spawning occurs in water between 15 and 20 °C, and abundance on the coast varies with the year and region.

best time of day

Night and twilight. Adults stay near the bottom by day and rise at night to feed, which makes dusk and night the best hours near the surface. By day, lower the bait.

weather, water and behavior

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

cold and cold fronts

It tolerates 10 to 27 °C; the school follows the water within the range where it spawns (15 to 20 °C).

atmospheric pressure

Effect poorly documented in the sources consulted.

moon

Moderate effect; the night rise to the surface changes with the brightness of the moon.

rain

Little effect in open sea.

water level

Does not apply at sea. Look for bait and birds on the surface.

noise

An engine over the school makes it sink; approach from the outside.

wind

A light chop helps hide the line; strong wind makes it hard to see the school.

tide

Little effect; upwelling and tidal currents concentrate bait at points and channels.

depth

Near the bottom by day (50 to 200 m) and at the surface at night.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Jigging Mid-water casting Trolling

rod: 6'0" to 7'0", light, 6 to 12 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 2500 to 3500
line: 10 to 15 lb braided line
leader: fluorocarbon 15 lb, 60 cm
hook: sabiki No. 6 to 10 or single hook No. 2 to 1/0

lures

sabiki (row of feathered hooks)
small spoon of 10 to 30 g
jig 20 to 40 g

natural baits

sardine strips
lula
shrimp

accessories

sinker of 30 to 60 g for the sabiki
bucket of seawater
alicate
spare sabiki

tip from an angler

Add a sinker to the sabiki, cast and retrieve in a back-and-forth motion at the depth of the school; usually more than one fish comes up per cast.

what the law says

rules for the pacific chub mackerel

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 recreational sport fishing in Mexican federal waters, each angler may keep up to 10 marine fish per day, with a maximum of 5 of the same species. The Pacific chub mackerel (macarela) is not among the species with their own limit (billfish, sharks, giant croaker, tarpon, dorado, roosterfish and baya). Anything over the limit goes back alive into the water, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. Fishing from a boat requires a permit, and sport fishing is banned in closed zones and seasons.

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), signed Oct 14, 2013, items 4.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5, 4.10 and 4.11 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

Peru: minimum size for caballa of 32 cm

32 cm (total length), equivalent to 29 cm fork length; 30% tolerance

Annex I of RM 209-2001-PE sets the minimum size for caballa (Scomber japonicus) at 32 cm total length, and the regulation for jurel and caballa (DS 011-2007-PRODUCE) refers to 29 cm fork length, the same size. The maximum tolerance is 30% of specimens below it. Article 3 of RM 209-2001-PE prohibits extracting, receiving, transporting, processing and selling fish below the sizes in the annex. Sport anglers should release anything under 32 cm.

Source: Resolución Ministerial N° 209-2001-PE, Annex I and art. 3; Decreto Supremo N° 011-2007-PRODUCE, art. 7, nº 6 (cited in Resolución N° 336-2021-PRODUCE/CONAS-UT)

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.

A schooling fish with delicate skin: if you are not going to eat it, release it quickly, with a wet hand and without delay out of the water.

in the kitchen

Sold fresh, frozen, smoked and salted, sometimes canned; it is fried, grilled or baked. Dark, oily flesh: bleed and chill it quickly.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.00741, b = 3.05; 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 field experience from anglers and guides. They are not official data or measurements made for this species and may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the rule and link. The fishing depth range, the common size and the ideal water temperature range, when FishBase does not give a value, are editorial estimates based on the species' biology.

scientific FishBase: Scomber japonicus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Scomber japonicusNames by country and language. The name cavalinha-do-pacífico was adopted in this profile from English (Pacific chub mackerel), to set the species apart from the Atlantic mackerel (Scomber colias).
official NOM-017-PESC-1994, Para regular las actividades de pesca deportivo-recreativa en las aguas de jurisdicción federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (modificação de 2013)Daily limit of 10 marine fish and 5 per species (item 4.9.1), return of the excess (4.9.5), closed seasons (4.10) and sales ban (4.11). Text checked in the DOF on Oct 13, 2026.
official Resolución Ministerial N° 209-2001-PE: tallas mínimas de captura de peces marinos e invertebrados (Peru)Annex I: caballa (Scomber japonicus peruanus), 32 cm total length. Art. 3: prohibition below the size.
official Resolución N° 336-2021-PRODUCE/CONAS-UT (Peru)Decision of the Sanctions Appeals Council citing the 32 cm size, the 30% tolerance and art. 7, No. 6, of DS 011-2007-PRODUCE (29 cm fork length).

don't confuse

similar species

Scombridae

Pacific sierra

Scomberomorus sierra

The Pacific Spanish mackerel, a cousin of the Atlantic Spanish mackerel (sororoca). It travels in schools close to the coast from Mexico to Peru and strikes spoons and fast lures.

Sea

time of yearbest: Nov–Apr

Scombridae

Chilean bonito

Sarda chiliensis

The skipjack (bonito listrado) of the Humboldt Current: fast schools that burst at the surface after anchoveta. A strong fighter on light tackle, with a minimum size in Peru.

Sea

time of yearbest: Dec–Apr

Scombridae

Atlantic bonito

Sarda sarda

A small, striped tuna with strong teeth that hunts in schools along the coast and on the shelf south of the Amazon. It fights well on light tackle and hits spoons, jigs and trolling baits.

Sea

time of yearbest: Nov–Feb