curlfin sole
Pleuronichthys decurrens
Small flounder of soft bottoms in the North Pacific, up to 37 cm. It is usually caught in nets by chance and is of little interest to anglers.
Also called: linguado-de-nadadeira-crespa, platija aleta de rizo, Curlfin sole
- maximum
- 37 cm
- depth
- 8–533 m
who is the curlfin sole
The curlfin sole is a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae of soft bottoms in the North Pacific, from Alaska to San Quintín Bay, northern Baja California, Mexico. It occurs from 8 to 533 m deep, more common from 20 m. It reaches 37 cm. It is usually incidental catch, of little interest to anglers. It also appears in small-scale commercial fishing. It feeds on small bottom invertebrates, such as brittle stars and nudibranchs.
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 curlfin sole; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It feeds on brittle stars and nudibranchs, small bottom invertebrates.
identification
Flatfish with a deep, rounded tail and a short, deep body. The dorsal fin starts well forward, at the corner of the mouth, and runs along the blind side. This early start of the dorsal fin is the main sign to tell it apart from the C-O sole (Pleuronichthys coenosus), which lives on the same coast and also has the dorsal fin starting on the blind side, but much farther back.
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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 occurs in northern Baja California, Mexico, as far as San Quintín Bay.
Habitat: Soft bottoms, from 8 to 533 m, more common from 20 m.
rules for the curlfin sole
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.
Not dangerous. 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 = 0.01622, b = 3.0; 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: Pleuronichthys decurrens (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Pleuronichthys decurrensNames by country and language.
