yellowfin drum
Umbrina roncador
Grunt of shallow sands, surf zones and tidal channels in the eastern Pacific, from California to the Gulf of California. It is often caught from the beach.
Also called: roncador-de-nadadeira-amarela, verrugato de aleta amarilla, yellowfin drum
- maximum
- 56 cm
- record/max.
- 2.5 kg
- depth
- 10–60 m
who is the yellowfin drum
A fish of the family Sciaenidae, with an elongated body, reaching 56 cm and 2.5 kg. It lives near the bottom, over shallow sands, often in the surf zone, in bays and tidal channels, from 10 to 60 m. It eats fish, crustaceans, marine worms and bivalves. It is often caught from the beach by surf anglers, and has commercial and sport catch. It spawns in the water, with no nests on the bottom. It shares the surf zone with the spotfin croaker (Roncador stearnsii).
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 yellowfin drum; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, spindle-shaped body typical of croakers, with a small, inferior mouth and a stiff barbel on the chin, as in the genus Umbrina. The common name points to yellow fins. It lives over shallow sands and tidal channels. It shares the surf zone with the spotfin croaker (Roncador stearnsii), which reaches 70 cm; this one reaches 56 cm.
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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
Eastern Pacific, from California to the Gulf of California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs in Mexico.
Habitat: Shallow sands, surf zones, bays and tidal channels.
rules for the yellowfin drum
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. It is often caught from the beach, so release it quickly and carefully when removing the hook.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00832, b = 3.05; 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
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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: Umbrina roncador (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Umbrina roncadorNames by country and language.
