shortfin weakfish
Cynoscion parvipinnis
Silver croaker of shallow sands of the eastern Pacific, from southern California to the Gulf of California, in Mexico. It is taken in sport and commercial fishing.
Also called: pescada-de-nadadeira-curta, corvina aleta corta, corvina azul, shortfin weakfish
- maximum
- 69 cm
- record/max.
- 3.2 kg
who is the shortfin weakfish
Fish of the family Sciaenidae, with an elongated, fusiform body, reaching 69 cm and 3.2 kg. Common size 40 cm. It lives near the bottom, on shallow sands near the coast. It mainly eats small fish. It occurs from southern California to Mazatlán, in Mexico, and in the Gulf of California, and is rare north of Baja California. It is oviparous. It is caught for commercial and sport purposes. The Spanish name, aleta corta, refers to its short fins.
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 shortfin weakfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, fusiform body, typical of croakers, with a large mouth and canine teeth at the tip of the upper jaw, common in the genus Cynoscion. The Spanish name, aleta corta, refers to its short fins. It lives on shallow sands near the coast. The Fortune weakfish (Cynoscion othonopterus), which also lives in the gulf, reaches 70 cm, nearly the same size, but has a darkened chin and yellowish fins.
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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
In Latin America, it occurs in Mexico, from Mazatlán to the Gulf of California, and is rare north of Baja California.
Habitat: Shallow sands near the coast.
rules for the shortfin weakfish
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.
Harmless to people. Release it carefully and quickly if it comes onto the beach line.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00871, b = 3.06; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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: Cynoscion parvipinnis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cynoscion parvipinnisNames by country and language.
