north american naked sole
Gymnachirus melas
A flounder of coastal waters off the Bahamas and the eastern United States, rarely seen on the line. It has commercial fishing and poses no danger to anglers.
Also called: linguado-pelado, suela desnuda, north american naked sole, zebra sole
- maximum
- 22 cm
- depth
- 0–73 m
who is the north american naked sole
A flounder of the family Achiridae, up to 22 cm. It is a flat bottom fish that rests on the sediment in coastal waters, from the beach down to 73 m, with records down to 183 m. It occurs from Massachusetts to southern Florida, in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. In Latin America it is found in the Bahamas. The species has commercial fishing and no major use in rod fishing.
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 north american naked sole; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
A flat-bodied flounder with both eyes on the same side of the head and no spines in the dorsal and anal fins. It lives in coastal waters, from the beach to 73 m. Another flounder of the same genus, Gymnachirus texae, from the Gulf of Mexico, lives deeper, between 55 and 90 m.
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.
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 the Bahamas, in coastal waters, and extends along the eastern United States to southern Florida.
Habitat: Shallow coastal bottoms, 0 to 73 m deep.
rules for the north american naked 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.
Harmless to anglers, with no dangerous spines or teeth. When handling it, hold it carefully and avoid damaging the fins.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0138, b = 3.09; 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: Gymnachirus melas (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Gymnachirus melasNames by country and language.
