black snook
Centropomus nigrescens
The snook with the highest maximum weight recorded in FishBase, with fish over 25 kg. Dark and robust, it enters mangroves, lagoons and even fresh water on the Pacific, from Mexico to Peru.
Also called: robalo-negro-do-pacífico, black snook, róbalo prieto
- common size
- 45–90 cm
- maximum
- 123 cm
- common weight
- 2–10 kg
- record/max.
- 26.2 kg
- depth
- 0.5–15 m
- ideal water
- 24–30 °C
who is the black snook
Eastern Pacific snook, from southern Baja California and the mouth of the Gulf of California to Colombia and Peru. Dark and robust, it has the highest published maximum weight among snooks (26.2 kg in FishBase). It enters mangroves, coastal lagoons, estuaries and even fresh water, and also lives on beaches and rocky points near river mouths. It ambushes fish and crustaceans, mainly in the dark and on a running tide. In Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia it is one of the great trophies of beach and river-mouth fishing, caught on mid-water lures, poppers, jigs and live bait. It shares its habitat with the white snook of the Pacific.
fun facts
- In FishBase it has the highest published maximum weight among Centropomus snooks (26.2 kg, versus 24.3 kg for the common snook).
- It also lives in fresh water and has been recorded in rustic rearing tanks.
identification
Elongated, plumper body, dark blue-grey back, white belly and a very dark lateral line running to the edge of the tail. Charcoal fins. Head profile slightly concave behind the eyes. The white snook of the Pacific is paler and silvery, with a greenish back.
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.
where found
Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific, from southern Baja California and the mouth of the Gulf of California (Mexico) to Colombia and Peru: mangroves, lagoons, estuaries, beaches and lower river stretches.
Habitat: Mangroves, coastal lagoons, estuaries and freshwater river stretches near the sea; beaches and rocky points by river mouths.
famous destinations
when to fish
best season
Fished all year. The rainy season (June to October) opens river mouths and concentrates bait and snook at the sandbars.
best time of day
Night and twilight. Most active at night and in twilight, on a running tide. By day it lies hidden among mangroves, rocks and pools.
what affects the black snook
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Cold upwelling water reduces activity on the beaches.
atmospheric pressure
Stable pressure helps.
moon
Full and new moon tides move more water through the mouths; dark nights usually produce more.
rain
Rain that opens the river mouth helps; a very strong flood scatters the fish.
water level
An open, running river mouth is the best scenario.
noise
Wary: arrive quietly, without strong light on the water.
wind
Light chop helps; strong wind muddies the surf.
tide
The ebb at the mouths and the flood in the mangroves are the windows.
depth
Shallow at the mouths at night; pools and channels of 3 to 10 m by day.
how to fish
- rod
- 7' to 8', 20 to 40 lb; on the beach and rocks, 9' to 11'
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 5000 to 8000 or reinforced low-profile baitcasting reel
- line
- braid 40 to 65 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 50 to 80 lb, 1.5 m
- hook
- circle 4/0 to 7/0 on live bait; reinforced treble hooks on artificials
lures
- mid-water minnow 12 to 16 cm
- jig head 1 to 2 oz with large shad
- popper at dawn
natural baits
- live mullet
- live sardine
- large shrimp
accessories
- boga-grip
- alicate
- headlamp with red light
tip from an angler
At night, work the mid-water slowly along the current line at the mouth. Big fish pull toward the mangrove or the rock: work with firm drag from the first second.
rules for the black snook
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.
Hold it by the mouth with a lip grip and support the belly; a big fish should not be lifted by the mouth alone. Watch the sharp edge of the gill cover. Revive it in the current.
in the kitchen
White, firm flesh, highly prized; grilled, fried or as ceviche.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00741, b = 3.02; FishBase). 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.
- scientific FishBase — Centropomus nigrescens (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship, country list and references. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Centropomus nigrescens (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 09/11/2018)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Rivas, L. R. (1986). Systematic review of the perciform fishes of the genus Centropomus. Copeia 1986(3): 579-611.DOI checked in Crossref.
- scientific Fischer, W. et al. (eds.) (1995). Guía FAO para la identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Pacífico centro-oriental. Vol. II: Vertebrados, parte 1. Roma: FAO.Regional identification guide; volume II covers the families Centropomidae, Carangidae and Istiophoridae.
