calico surfperch
Amphistichus koelzi
Surfperch of the sandy beaches of the Mexican Pacific, which lives in the surf zone. It is caught from the beach and is of some sport interest.
Also called: perca-malhada, mojarra angaripola, calico surfperch
- maximum
- 31 cm
- depth
- 0–9 m
who is the calico surfperch
Surfperch of the family Embiotocidae, silvery with bronze reflections and a bluish or olive back. It reaches 31 cm and is viviparous: the female carries the young until birth. It lives in the surf zone of sandy beaches, from 0 to 9 m deep. It occurs from the coast of Washington, in the United States, to northern Baja California, in Mexico. Its flanks have brown spots that form narrow vertical bands, a mark that helps identify it on the beach. It is commercially fished and of interest to sport 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 calico surfperch; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Silvery surfperch with bronze reflections, a bluish or olive back, and the underside of the head slightly reddish. The flanks have brown spots that form narrow vertical bands, and the fins are reddish, with smooth pectoral fins. On the same coast, the barred surfperch (Amphistichus argenteus) reaches 43 cm, much larger than this one, which reaches 31 cm.
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
From the State of Washington, in the United States, to northern Baja California; in Latin America, only in Mexico, on sandy beaches.
Habitat: Sandy beaches, in the surf zone, from 0 to 9 m deep.
rules for the calico surfperch
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.
It has no dangerous spines and no venom. When fishing in the surf, watch the waves.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0195, b = 2.97; 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: Amphistichus koelzi (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Amphistichus koelziNames by country and language.
