Paralichthys orbignyanus
An ambush hunter buried in sand in lagoons and estuaries of the South. Fished with live bait and a jig dragged along the bottom.
Also called: linguado, solha
The linguado (flounder) is the flat fish of lagoons, estuaries and beaches in the South and Southeast, most abundant in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. It buries itself in sand or mud with only its eyes showing and changes color to match the bottom. An ambush hunter, it leaps off the bottom to grab shrimp, young mullets and manjubas drifting with the current. It likes channels with a running tide, the edges of sandbanks and the side of jetties. It reaches nearly 80 cm and 6 kg, but common fish are 40 to 55 cm. It is among the tastiest fish on the coast, with white, delicate fillets.
Flatfish with both eyes on the left side: the top side is brown with diffuse light and dark blotches; the underside is white. Large mouth with sharp teeth, and a jaw extending past the lower eye. Difference from other sea flounders: this is the typical estuary and lagoon flounder, with diffuse blotches and no well-defined ocelli.
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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.
From Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul, with the largest populations in Lagoa dos Patos, coastal lagoons and estuaries of Santa Catarina.
Habitat: Sand and mud bottoms in coastal lagoons, estuaries, channels, sandbank edges, jetties and beaches.
native to the basins
coast
states
Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
From spring to autumn in the estuaries and lagoons of the South, peaking in summer. In winter it moves to deeper areas and fishing drops.
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Feeds during the day with the tide running, peaking at dawn and dusk.
Cold water reduces activity and pushes it out of the shallows.
Stable weather helps; after a front, with the sea and lagoon stirred up, it's bad.
Spring tides increase the current in the channels and bait movement.
Heavy rain muddies the lagoon and shuts down fishing for a few days.
In Lagoa dos Patos, wind and river flow change salinity: with salt water coming in, the flounder moves up the lagoon.
Not very sensitive; walk slowly along the edge so you don't scare off those in the shallows.
Strong wind muddies the shallow lagoon water and gets in the way.
Ambushes with moving water: on the flood it stays on the edge of sandbanks waiting for bait to come in; on the ebb, at channel mouths. At slack tide it barely feeds.
From 0.5 to 5 m in lagoons and channels; down to 20 m at sea.
lures
natural baits
accessories
Drag the bait slowly, bumping the bottom, along the edge of the sandbank. When you feel the weight, wait a second: the flounder bites and turns before swallowing.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list of threatened species.
IN MMA 53/2005 sets 35 cm for flounders along the coast from ES to RS, citing Paralichthys patagonicus and P. brasiliensis. The estuary flounder (P. orbignyanus) is not named: use 35 cm as a reference and confirm with the competent agency.
Source: IN MMA nº 53/2005 (coast from ES to RS; total length)
Hold it under the body, without squeezing, and release it lying flat in the water, white side down. Watch the teeth.
One of the best fish on the coast: white, delicate fillets, breaded, grilled or baked with butter.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00692, b = 3.1; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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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.
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