catalog Carangidae · predator

bluefin trevally

Caranx melampygus

EstuarySea

Jack with a golden body covered in blue spots and electric-blue fins, a reef hunter that strikes poppers, stickbaits and jigs. Large ones can carry ciguatera.

Also called: xaréu-de-nadadeira-azul, bluefin trevally, bluefin crevalle-jack

forecast for bluefin trevally where found

Scientific illustration of Bluefin trevally

common size: 40–80 cm
maximum: 117 cm
common weight: 1–7 kg
record/max.: 43.5 kg
depth: 0–190 m
ideal water: 25–30 °C

overview

who is the bluefin trevally

It is the most common jack on Indo-Pacific reefs, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Americas. In the eastern Pacific it occurs at the tip of Baja California, at the mouth of the Gulf of California and, farther south, from Costa Rica to Ecuador and at the oceanic islands. It goes alone or in small schools near reefs, from 0 to about 190 m; juveniles appear in shallow sandy water, estuaries and rivers. It eats other fish and crustaceans. FishBase describes it as an excellent sport fish, and it is caught with poppers, stickbaits, jigs and flies, as well as handline and spear. Specimens over 50 cm are often toxic (ciguatera): check before eating.

fun facts

It is the most common jack on Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
The blue spots appear at around 20 cm in length and multiply with age.
FishBase records hybrids with the bigeye trevally in Hawaii.

how to recognize it

identification

Tall, compressed body with an angular head profile. Head and upper half of the body brassy, with a bluish tone and small dark-blue spots (they appear at around 20 cm and increase with size); second dorsal, anal and tail electric blue; pectoral fins yellow in juveniles. Adipose eyelid poorly developed, chest fully scaled and 27 to 42 strong scutes along the lateral line. The bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) has a larger eye, has no blue spots and has a white tip on the lobe of the dorsal fin.

how bluefin trevally fishing looks

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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.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Not found in Brazil. Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Ducie Island. In the eastern Pacific, at the tip of Baja California and the mouth of the Gulf of California, and from Costa Rica to Ecuador, with the oceanic islands.

Habitat: Reefs, islands and banks; juveniles in shallow sandy water, estuaries and rivers.

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Mar–Oct

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Fishable all year. Bait schools near the reef and moderate current matter more than the month.

best time of day

Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Hunts by day along reefs, alone or in small schools, with peaks at dawn and late afternoon.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the bluefin trevally
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 pushes the fish away from the reef edges.

atmospheric pressure

Little direct effect.

moon

New-moon and full-moon tides move more water over islands and rocks.

rain

Little effect in open sea; heavy rain muddies river mouths.

water level

Not applicable at sea.

noise

An engine over the fish sinks it; approach from outside and cast far.

wind

Light swell helps the popper; strong wind hinders casting.

tide

Moving current at points and passages concentrates the fish.

depth

Surface and midwater along the reef; the largest near the bottom.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Surface casting Mid-water casting Jigging Trolling Fly fishing

rod: 7' to 8', 20 to 50 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 6000 to 10000 with strong drag, or medium baitcasting reel
line: braid 40 to 65 lb
leader: fluorocarbon 50 to 80 lb, 1 to 1.5 m
hook: reinforced or single treble hooks 4/0 to 7/0

lures

popper 12 to 18 cm
stickbait
metal jig 40 to 120 g
mid-water jerkbait

natural baits

live sardine or mackerel
lula

accessories

alicate
luvas
fighting belt for large fish

tip from an angler

Fast popper, with hard strikes, where the fish blows up. Hooked near the rock, it runs for the bottom: set the drag in the first few meters and pump short.

what the law says

rules for the bluefin trevally

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

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 bluefin trevally 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: AUNAP license and catch-and-release in sport fishing

Individual AUNAP license; catch-and-release guidanceconfirm with the agency

AUNAP Resolution 0549 of 2022 sets the guidelines for recreational sport fishing in Colombia. Anglers need a permit: for an individual, Colombian or foreign, it is a personal, non-transferable card. The rule makes "catch and release" the guidance and admits keeping only part of the catch for personal consumption, respecting the minimum sizes it sets. We did not confirm the daily limit or the minimum sizes by species: check with AUNAP before keeping fish.

Source: Resolución AUNAP 0549 of 2022 (fishing management guidelines for sport fishing for recreational purposes), arts. 6 and 8; Official Gazette of Mar 25, 2022

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.

A strong fish that tires you out fast: keep it in the water, remove the hook with pliers, and release it head-down until it swims off.

in the kitchen

Sold mostly fresh, but also dried or salted. FishBase records ciguatera, and fish over 50 cm are often toxic: ask local fishers before eating.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.01698, b = 2.96; 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

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: Caranx melampygus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Caranx melampygusNames by country and language.
scientific Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2024). Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system, versão 3.0. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Caranx melampygusDescription, colors, size, depth and distribution in the eastern Pacific. Page checked on 13/10/2026. It cites a length of up to 100 cm and at least 10.8 kg. The maximum weight of 43.5 kg in FishBase has not been checked against another source and seems high for the length: read it as a published value, not as a common weight.
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), daily limits at sea (4.9.1) and in fresh water (4.9.2), catch and release (4.9.5), closed zones and seasons (4.10), and a ban on selling the catch (4.11). Text checked on Oct 13, 2026; the publication date (Nov 25, 2013) comes from Secretaría de Economía rules that cite the amendment.
official AUNAP (Colômbia): Resolução 0549 de 2022, lineamientos de ordenación pesquera para la pesca deportiva con fines recreativosWe reviewed, in a partial transcript of the text, what the rule says about the personal license (art. 6) and the catch-and-release guidance (arts. 8 to 10). We could not read the articles on the daily bag limit and minimum sizes; the draft rule provided for a personal-consumption limit that AUNAP said it would revise, so those figures are left out.

don't confuse

similar species

Carangidae

Bigeye trevally

Caranx sexfasciatus

Bigeye trevally with a blue-green back that stays in schools, almost motionless, along reef edges by day and hunts at night. Takes poppers, jigs and live bait, and pulls hard.

EstuarySea

time of yearbest: Mar–Oct

Carangidae

Pacific crevalle jack

Caranx caninus

The Pacific crevalle jack: strong schooling fish that explode on poppers from Mexico to Peru. Many authors consider it the same species as the Atlantic crevalle jack.

SeaEstuary

time of yearbest: Mar–Oct

Carangidae

Golden trevally

Gnathanodon speciosus

Thick-lipped jack, silvery with yellow fins, that roots in the sand for crustaceans. Juveniles, striped black, swim alongside sharks. Takes natural bait, jigs and flies.

Sea

time of yearbest: Mar–Oct