catalog Carangidae · predator

lookdown

Selene vomer

SeaEstuary

The silver dish of the coast: very tall, very thin body, long filaments and a sideways fight.

Also called: galo-de-penacho, galo, peixe-galo

forecast for lookdown where found

common size: 20–35 cm
maximum: 48 cm
common weight: 0.3–1 kg
record/max.: 2.1 kg
depth: 1–50 m
ideal water: 22–28 °C

overview

who is the lookdown

The lookdown is the silver dish of the coast: a very tall, very thin, mirror-like body that nearly disappears when seen head-on. It lives along the whole coast, near sand and mud bottoms, in bays, channels, beaches and around pilings, piers and wrecks, almost always in small groups. It eats small crustaceans, shrimp and small fish. Adults have long filaments on the dorsal and anal fins, the "penacho" (plume). It bites small baits, micro jigs and shrimp, and fights sideways, using its tall body against the current, which surprises for its size. The meat is good but scarce: it's mostly a fun fishery.

fun facts

Almost invisible head-on: the thin silver body reflects its surroundings.
In juveniles, the first dorsal spines also form long filaments that shorten as they grow.

how to recognize it

identification

Very tall and extremely flattened body, metallic silver, head profile almost vertical and a very low mouth. Adults with very long lobes on the dorsal and anal fins, in filaments. Difference from pompanos: pompanos have a blunt, rounded snout, and the pampo-galhudo has dark vertical bars. The galo-de-fundo (another species) has short lobes and a dark spot on the caudal peduncle.

how lookdown 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

All along the coast, in bays, channels, sheltered beaches and structures, from Amapá to Rio Grande do Sul.

Habitat: Near sand and mud bottoms in bays and channels, around pilings, piers, wrecks and ledges.

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–Apr

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

In the Southeast and South it appears most from late spring to autumn. In the Northeast, all year.

best time of day

Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Bites during the day, most active late afternoon and at dawn.

weather, water and behavior

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

cold and cold fronts

Cold water reduces its presence in the South.

atmospheric pressure

Not very sensitive.

moon

Small effect.

rain

Not very relevant.

water level

Clear water helps; heavy surf muddies the bays and shuts them down.

noise

Moderate at piers and pilings.

wind

Strong wind gets in the way of light tackle fishing.

tide

With the tide running, it stays close to structures and channel edges, eating what the current brings. At slack tide it stays nearby but bites less.

depth

From 1 to 20 m near the bottom; down to 50 m on the shelf.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Mid-water casting Natural bait on the bottom Natural bait with float Rocky shore Bottom fishing from a boat

rod: 6'0" to 7'0", 6 to 14 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 2500 to 3000
line: 10 to 15 lb braided line
leader: fluorocarbon 15 to 20 lb
hook: hook #1 to 1/0

lures

micro jig 7 to 20 g
jig head 1/8 oz with small shrimp

natural baits

shrimp
small sardine fillet
thin squid strips

accessories

small pliers

tip from an angler

Small lures, near the bottom and the structure. Work the micro jig with short taps and let it fall: the lookdown bites on the drop.

what the law says

rules for the lookdown

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.

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.

Thin body and delicate slime: wet your hands, hold it by the tail and from below, and release quickly.

in the kitchen

White, tasty meat, but it yields little fillet. Fry it whole.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.01288, b = 2.95; 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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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 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.