opaleye
Girella nigricans
Fish of rocky shores and kelp beds of the Pacific, from San Francisco, in the United States, to southern Baja California, in Mexico. It is important for sport fishing and is sold fresh.
Also called: peixe-olho-de-opala, chopa verde, opaleye
- maximum
- 66 cm
- depth
- 2–6 m
who is the opaleye
The opaleye belongs to the family Girellidae and reaches 66 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from San Francisco, in the United States, to southern Baja California, in Mexico, on rocky shores and kelp beds, in the intertidal zone and down to 30 m. It is a resident fish that always returns to the same place. It feeds mainly on algae and sometimes on invertebrates. In spring it forms dense schools in kelp beds, and it spawns in the water column. It is considered an important sport fish and is also sold fresh.
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 opaleye.
fun facts
- Always returns to the same place, and may leave tide pools when the water is poor.
identification
Spindle-shaped body, typical of the family. No distinctive color or mark is recorded, so the habitat helps: it lives on rocky shores and kelp beds, often in the intertidal zone, where it may stay in pools. In spring it forms dense schools in kelp beds. It is resident, can leave tide pools when the water is poor, and breathes air out of the water.
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, only in Mexico, in southern Baja California. The species occurs from San Francisco, in the United States.
Habitat: Intertidal zone, rocky shores and kelp beds, down to 30 m.
rules for the opaleye
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.
No danger to anglers. It breathes air when out of the water, so keep it damp when releasing it.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh in markets.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01698, b = 3.15; 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
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: Girella nigricans (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Girella nigricansNames by country and language.