swordspine croaker
Bairdiella ensifera
Small croaker of coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths, from southern Mexico to Peru, growing to 35 cm.
Also called: corvina-espadinha, barbirrubia, ronco barbirrubia, swordspine croaker
- maximum
- 35 cm
who is the swordspine croaker
The spadefin croaker is a fish of the family Sciaenidae, the family of croakers and weakfishes, found in coastal waters, entering estuaries and river mouths. It lives in the tropical eastern Pacific, from southern Mexico to Peru, and grows to 35 cm, with a common size of 25 cm. It feeds on crustacean larvae, small shrimp and small fish. Like other croakers, it has a dorsal fin divided into two parts. For anglers, it is a fish of estuaries and river mouths.
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 swordspine croaker.
identification
Elongated body typical of croakers, with the dorsal fin divided into two parts. The name espadín (spadefin) suggests a sword-shaped spine. It lives in coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths of the tropical Pacific, and grows to 35 cm. It is in this estuary and river-mouth habitat that it is usually found, together with other small croakers of the region.
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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
Tropical eastern Pacific, from southern Mexico to Peru, in coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths of Central America and northwestern South America.
Habitat: Coastal waters, estuaries and river mouths.
rules for the swordspine croaker
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.
Poses no danger to anglers. Handle it with care and release quickly any fish you do not keep.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00871, b = 3.07; 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: Bairdiella ensifera (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Bairdiella ensiferaNames by country and language.