silver surfperch
Hyperprosopon ellipticum
Small silvery surfperch of the beaches and piers of the Mexican Pacific. It is of little importance to sport fishing because of its size.
Also called: perca-prateada, mojarra ovalada, silver surfperch
- maximum
- 27 cm
- depth
- 0–110 m
who is the silver surfperch
Surfperch of the family Embiotocidae, with a dark green back, silvery sides and belly, and fine golden-pink vertical bands on the body. It reaches 27 cm and is viviparous: the female carries the young until birth. It lives near the coast, in the surf zone and in sandy areas, near rocks and piers, from the intertidal zone down to 110 m deep. It occurs from southern British Columbia, in Canada, to northern Baja California, in Mexico. It is often caught but is of little importance to sport fishing because of its small size, and it appears in public aquariums.
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 silver surfperch; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Silvery surfperch, with a dark green back and pale sides and belly. It has a series of fine golden-pink vertical bands on the body, and its pectoral fins are colorless. On the same coast, the walleye surfperch (Hyperprosopon argenteum) has a dark blue back, and the calico surfperch (Amphistichus koelzi) has brown spots on the flanks.
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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 southern British Columbia, in Canada, to northern Baja California; in Latin America, only in Mexico, on sandy beaches and near rocks.
Habitat: Sandy and rocky areas near the coast, from the intertidal zone down to 110 m.
rules for the silver 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.
No recorded danger to anglers. Because of its small size, it can be quickly returned to the water.
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: Hyperprosopon ellipticum (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hyperprosopon ellipticumNames by country and language.
