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catalog Haemulidae · predator

burrito grunt

Anisotremus interruptus

Sea

Tall, silvery sargo, with scales that have dark edges forming spots, common on shallow rocky reefs from the Gulf of California to Peru. By day it hides in crevices and at night it comes out to feed on invertebrates.

Also called: sargo-burrito, burrito grunt, burrito

forecast for burrito grunt where found
Scientific illustration of Burrito grunt
common size
22–35 cm
maximum
51 cm
common weight
0.3–1.3 kg
record/max.
3.6 kg
depth
3–12 m
ideal water
22–29 °C
overview

who is the burrito grunt

Eastern Pacific sargo, from central Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru, including the oceanic islands, except Clipperton. Common on shallow rocky reefs, usually at 3 to 12 m and down to about 30 m (STRI cites up to 90 m). It lives solitary, hidden in reefs and caves during the day, and comes out at night to eat bottom invertebrates; the juveniles appear at the end of summer and swim in schools. It reaches about 51 cm and 3.6 kg, and FishBase gives 30 cm as the common length. It has a commercial fishery and is sold fresh. For the angler it is a rocky-shore and boat fish over rocks, which takes natural bait on the bottom and runs for its hole when hooked.

fun facts

  • It is solitary and spends the day inside dens and caves; it only comes out to feed at night.
  • Juveniles appear at the end of summer and swim in schools, unlike the solitary adults.
  • In Mexico and Peru it is known as burrito, and in Ecuador as peje gordo.
how to recognize it

identification

Tall, compressed body, short rounded head, small mouth with thick fleshy lips, the inside of the mouth without red, and a deeply notched dorsal fin with 12 to 13 spines and 16 to 19 soft rays. Silvery to yellow-green, with the dark center of the large scales above the lateral line forming spots; the rear third of the body and the base of the tail have a yellow sheen, and the fins are yellowish, gray or black. Under the chin there is a pair of pores and a groove. STRI lists Haemulon scudderii and other sargos of the genus Anisotremus as look-alikes.

how burrito grunt fishing looks

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.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Not found in Brazil. Eastern Pacific: from central Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru, including the oceanic islands (except Clipperton).

Habitat: Shallow rocky reefs, dens and caves; juveniles in schools.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: May–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fishable all year. In the Gulf of California and along the Mexican coast, summer and early autumn, with warm water, are usually better; juveniles appear in schools at the end of summer.

best time of day

0h6h12h18h sunrise ~6amsunset ~6pm

Night and twilight. Solitary, it spends the day hidden in reef holes and caves and feeds at night, mostly on bottom invertebrates.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the burrito grunt
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

Upwelling or winter cold water keeps the fish trapped in its dens.

atmospheric pressure

Little direct effect; a front with a rough sea makes rocky-shore fishing harder.

moon

Since it feeds at night, the moon phase and transit change its activity: a strong moon lights the bottom and may help in the first hours.

rain

Little effect.

water level

Not applicable at sea.

noise

Tapping the rock and talking loudly near the dens scares it; in the dark the fish becomes more confident.

wind

Strong wind and a churned-up sea hinder rocky-shore fishing.

tide

Moderate current carries food to the dens and gets the fish going.

depth

From 3 to 12 m along the rocks; FishBase cites up to 30 m.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Natural bait on the bottomRocky shoreBottom fishing from a boat
rod
6' to 7', 10 to 20 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel
spinning reel 3000 to 4000
line
braided line 15 to 25 lb
leader
fluorocarbon 25 to 40 lb, 80 cm
hook
circle 1/0 to 3/0

lures

  • jig head of 7 to 20 g with small shad
  • light slow jig

natural baits

  • shrimp
  • squid strips
  • small crab
  • mussel

accessories

  • sinker 20 to 60 g
  • headlamp
  • alicate

tip from an angler

Fish at dusk and at night, with natural bait at the mouths of the dens and near the rocks. Hold firm on the hookset: the burrito runs for the hole and tangles.

what the law says

rules for the burrito grunt

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Of least concern globally. We have not checked national assessments in the countries covered on this page.

Mexico: up to 5 per species and 10 saltwater fish per day

5 specimens of the species per angler per day, within the limit of 10 saltwater fish

In recreational sport fishing in Mexican federal waters, each angler may keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The burrito sargo is not among the species reserved for sport fishing (marlin, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon, roosterfish and dorado, up to 50 nautical miles from shore, item 0.3 of the standard) and has no quota of its own. Fish over the limit go back alive, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. Anglers fishing from a boat need an individual permit; anglers fishing from shore do not.

Source: Amendment to NOM-017-PESC-1994 (recreational sport fishing in federal waters of Mexico), published in the DOF on Nov 25, 2013, items 0.3, 4.3, 4.9.1, 4.9.5, 4.11 and 4.14 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)

Colombia: sport fishing has ceased to exist as a category; tourist fishing applies (Law 2501/2025)

Transition period: confirm with AUNAP before fishingconfirm with the agency

In Judgment C-148 of Apr 27, 2022, the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the rules that provided for sport fishing, with effects postponed by one year. Law 2501, enacted on Jul 28, 2025, created the tourist fishing category, and the rules (gear, quantities, minimum sizes, methods, zones and seasons) depend on regulations from the Ministry of Agriculture with AUNAP. We have not confirmed whether the decrees have been issued: check with AUNAP and use a licensed tourism operator before fishing or keeping any fish.

Source: Constitutional Court of Colombia, Judgment C-148/2022; Law 2501 of 2025 (Congress of Colombia)

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.

Remove the hook with pliers, keeping the fish in the water, and release it near the den it came from. Release any that exceed the quota.

in the kitchen

Sold fresh. White, firm flesh; good fried whole, baked or in a stew.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02512, 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

—

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Anisotremus interruptus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked on 13/10/2026. The common size range on this page is an editorial estimate around FishBase's common length (30 cm). STRI cites up to 90 cm and a depth of 3 to 90 m; the 90 cm value does not match the published maximum weight (3.6 kg), and the page keeps FishBase's 51 cm.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Anisotremus interruptusNames by country and language.
  3. scientific Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2024). Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system, versão 3.0. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Anisotremus interruptusDescription, colors, distribution (Gulf of California to Peru, except Clipperton) and shallow-reef habit. Page checked on 13/10/2026.
  4. scientific IUCN Red List: Anisotremus interruptus (avaliação global)Least Concern (LC), assessed on 14/11/2022. Assessment checked on the FishBase page (Red List, version 2025-2); the species' Red List link was not opened.
  5. official DOF: Modificação da NOM-017-PESC-1994, para regular a pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do México (publicada em 25/11/2013)Reserves species for sport fishing (item 0.3), permits (4.3 and 4.14), rods and hooks (4.6), bait (4.7), chumming in tournaments (4.8), daily limits at sea (4.9.1) and in fresh water (4.9.2), catch and release (4.9.5), closed zones, seasons and protected areas (4.10), a ban on selling the catch (4.11) and filleting (4.12). Text checked on Oct 13, 2026; the DOF records publication on Nov 25, 2013 and signature on Oct 14, 2013. We found no specific Conapesca federal closed season for this species.
  6. official Corte Constitucional da Colômbia: Sentença C-148 de 27 de abril de 2022 (pesca deportiva)We checked the date and summary of the judgment, which holds sport fishing unconstitutional. The one-year postponement of effects comes from press reports on the decision; we did not read the full operative part.
  7. press Agenda del Mar: Pesca de turismo, qué se aprobó y qué falta (Lei 2501 de 2025)Reports the enactment of Law 2501 on Jul 28, 2025 and the regulatory deadlines (six months for tourism and one year for zones, species, methods and seasons). We could not open the official text of the law or confirm whether the decrees have been issued.
don't confuse

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