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catalog Sciaenidae · predator

gulf kingcroaker

Menticirrhus littoralis

EstuarySea

Light papa-terra with no marked bands, with a single short chin barbel, that roots through the surf sand for worms and crustaceans. Good for surf casting and as a pan fish.

Also called: papa-terra-branco, betara-branca, papa-terra, betara, Gulf kingcroaker

forecast for gulf kingcroaker where found
Scientific illustration of Gulf kingcroaker
common size
20–35 cm
maximum
48 cm
common weight
0.1–0.4 kg
record/max.
1.4 kg
depth
0–40 m
ideal water
20–28 °C
overview

who is the gulf kingcroaker

The papa-terra-branco, or betara-branca, is a croaker (family Sciaenidae) with an elongated body, that lives in coastal waters over sandy and muddy bottoms and sometimes enters estuaries. Juveniles are abundant in the surf zone. It feeds mostly on worms and crustaceans that it digs up from the bottom, with a protruding snout and a mouth underneath. It matures at about 23 cm, has a common length of 30 cm and reaches 48 cm and 1.4 kg. In the western Atlantic it ranges from Virginia, USA, and from the Gulf of Mexico to Rio Grande do Sul. For surf anglers it belongs to the same group as the betara, and FishBase describes it as an excellent table fish. IN MMA 53/2005 cites it by its scientific name and sets a minimum size of 20 cm.

fun facts

  • IN MMA 53/2005 cites the betara-branca by its scientific name, which separates it from the betara-preta in the minimum-size annex.
  • Juveniles are abundant in the surf zone, where they eat worms and crustaceans.
  • The single chin barbel has a pore at the tip and helps find food on the bottom.
how to recognize it

identification

Elongated, rounded body, greyish-brown on top and silver below, without strong dark bands. Protruding snout, mouth underneath and a single short, thick barbel shaped like a peg at the tip of the lower jaw, with a pore at its tip. Belly scales are smaller than the flank scales. The betara (Menticirrhus americanus) is darker and has oblique V-shaped bands on the flanks; the croaker has a deeper body and more than one barbel.

how gulf kingcroaker 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

Western Atlantic: from Virginia (USA) and the mainland Gulf of Mexico coast to Rio Grande do Sul. In Latin America it appears from Mexico and Central America to Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas. In Brazil it occurs on beaches and in estuaries along the whole coast.

Habitat: Open-sea beaches, gutters and surf channels with sand and mud bottoms; enters estuaries. Juveniles stay in the surf zone.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastal

states

Amapá, Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Nov–Feb
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

It can be fished all year; it generally does best in the warm season, with water above about 20 °C, and slows down in the cold months of the South.

best time of day

0h6h12h18h sunrise ~6amsunset ~6pm

Night and twilight. On the beach it does best at dawn, dusk and at night, with the water rising. Scientific sources do not detail the timing; the indication comes from surf casting practice.

weather, water and behavior

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

cold and cold fronts

A cold front that drops water temperature keeps fish away from the surf for a few days.

atmospheric pressure

Stable pressure helps; the drop ahead of the front usually gives a short spike.

moon

Small effect; spring tides stir the bottom more and bring food.

rain

Light rain does not bother; runoff coming down the gutters muddies the water and scatters the fish.

water level

Does not apply at sea. The equivalent is the tide height in the gutters.

noise

Not very sensitive, but footsteps at the gutter's edge and a silhouette on the jetty spook the fish.

wind

Onshore wind raises waves and sand; a little swell helps, but too much gets in the way of the cast.

tide

The rising tide and the backwash after wave sets are the right moments.

depth

Shallow: in the gutter just past the first break, in 1 to 3 m of water.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Beach fishingNatural bait on the bottom
rod
3.9 to 4.2 m (13 to 14 ft), 60 to 150 g
spinning / baitcasting reel
5000 to 6000 surf reel
line
monofilament 0.28 to 0.33 mm
leader
0.50 mm shock leader; rig of 2 or 3 hooks
hook
maruseigo or chinu no. 1 to 1/0

natural baits

  • tatuí (sand crab)
  • corrupto
  • beach worm (polychaete)
  • shrimp
  • marisco

accessories

  • grapnel sinker 60 to 120 g
  • corrupto pump
  • tatuí sieve
  • rod holder

tip from an angler

Dig up tatuí (sand crab) on the same beach where you will fish and cast short, into the gutter just past the first break: the fish feeds close to the shore.

what the law says

rules for the gulf kingcroaker

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 Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

Federal minimum size of 20 cm for papa-terra-branco (Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul)

20 cm (TL)ESRJSPPRSCRSSoutheast CoastSouth Coast

Annex II of IN MMA 53/2005 lists the papa-terra-branco or betara (Menticirrhus littoralis) at 20 cm total length. Fishing for, keeping aboard and landing smaller specimens is prohibited along the coast from Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul. The 20% tolerance in Annex II applies to landing inspections: the amateur angler must release the small ones. The rule does not apply to trawl fishing.

Source: Instrução Normativa MMA nº 53/2005 (Annex II), MMA

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, no more than 5 of the same species. The papa-terra-branco (berrugata) is not among the species with their own limit (billfish, sharks, giant pescada, tarpon, dorado, roosterfish and baya). Fish above the limit must be returned alive to 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)

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.

Small fish swallow the hook deep: use a circle hook or a long-shank hook, back it out with pliers, and release it into the foam, without leaving the fish on dry sand.

in the kitchen

FishBase considers it an excellent table fish. Light, delicate flesh, good fried whole or as milanesa-style breaded fillets.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00794, 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

—

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Menticirrhus littoralis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Menticirrhus littoralisNames by country and language. The name papa-terra-branco follows IN MMA 53/2005 (papa-terra branco or betara).
  3. official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
  4. 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.
  5. official Instrução Normativa MMA nº 53, de 22 de novembro de 2005: tamanhos mínimos de captura no Sudeste e SulAnnex II: papa-terra-branco or betara (Menticirrhus littoralis), 20 cm total length, 20% tolerance in enforcement; the rule does not apply to trawl fishing.
don't confuse

similar species

Illustration of Southern kingfish
Sciaenidae

Southern kingfish

Menticirrhus americanus

The fish of the surf. Digs in the sand for tatuí and corrupto, and it is the school of surf casting.

SeaEstuary
time of yearbest: Oct–Apr
Illustration of Whitemouth croaker
Sciaenidae

Whitemouth croaker

Micropogonias furnieri

The most fished fish on the beaches of the South and Southeast. Bites shrimp and corrupto on the bottom, by day and at night.

EstuarySea
time of yearbest: Oct–Mar
Illustration of Miraguaia
SciaenidaeCR

Miraguaia

Pogonias courbina

The giant of the South Atlantic drums. Critically Endangered: fishing prohibited.

EstuarySea
time of yearbest: Oct–Dec
Illustration of California kingcroaker
Sciaenidae

California kingcroaker

Menticirrhus undulatus

The betara (California corbina) of the northern Pacific beaches, from California to the Gulf of California. It hunts sand crabs and worms right in the surf, and is a classic target for shore anglers using fine natural bait.

Sea
time of yearbest: Jun–Oct