catalog Belonidae · predator

atlantic needlefish

Strongylura marina

EstuarySea

A surface needlefish that lives in estuaries, mangroves and lagoons, enters fresh water and strikes small baits. Good for practicing on light tackle; the pointed beak calls for care when unhooking it.

Also called: zambaia-azul, agulha-torta, zambaia, atlantic needlefish

forecast for atlantic needlefish where found

Scientific illustration of Atlantic needlefish

common size: 45–80 cm
maximum: 111 cm
common weight: 0.1–0.8 kg
record/max.: 2.3 kg
depth: 0–3 m
ideal water: 22–30 °C

overview

who is the atlantic needlefish

The zambaia-azul (Atlantic needlefish) is the needlefish most tied to shallow, brackish waters. In the western Atlantic it ranges from Maine and the northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, and FishBase says it is absent from the Bahamas and the Antilles. It lives in coastal areas, lagoons and mangrove channels, and enters fresh water. It hunts at the surface, mainly small fish. Its eggs have filaments and stick to objects in the water. It reaches 111 cm and 2.3 kg; the common size is about 60 cm. Artisanal fishers in the Batoque Extractive Reserve, in Ceará, know it as zambaia-azul and agulha-torta.

fun facts

Only the right gonad develops (FishBase).
The eggs have filaments that attach them to objects in the water.
Artisanal fishers in Ceará also use the name agulha-torta (Pinto et al., 2015).

how to recognize it

identification

A very elongated, rounded body with a long beak of small, sharp teeth, a greenish-blue back and silvery flanks. The mark is the dark spot behind the eye, which does not extend below the middle of the eye. Dorsal fin with 14 to 17 rays and anal fin with 16 to 20, both set far back. It is smaller than the zambaia-roliço and the agulhão-lambaio (Tylosurus), which exceed 1.5 m and have a deeply forked tail and a black keel on the caudal peduncle.

how atlantic needlefish 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

In Brazil, FishBase's latitude range (up to 9°S) covers the North and Northeast, and the species is known to fishers in Ceará. In Latin America, FishBase's list includes Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Trinidad and Tobago; FishBase says it is absent from the Bahamas and the Antilles, but the country list includes Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

Habitat: Lagoons, mangrove channels, estuaries, sheltered beaches and the surroundings of piers, almost always near the surface; enters fresh water.

coast

North CoastNortheast Coastcoastal

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of year

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Present all year in tropical waters; more active and closer to shore with the warm water of spring and summer.

best time of day

Daytime. Hunts by day near the surface, most active in early morning and late afternoon.

weather, water and behavior

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

cold and cold fronts

Loses activity and moves away from the edges when the water cools.

atmospheric pressure

Small effect.

moon

Small effect.

rain

Heavy rain muddies the estuary water and scatters the schools; light drizzle doesn't hurt.

water level

Doesn't apply at sea. In estuaries, the equivalent is salinity and tide.

noise

Stay alert to shadows and noise in shallow water: approach slowly.

wind

A light chop helps hide the line; strong wind makes it hard to see surface hunting.

tide

A moving tide at channel mouths concentrates the bait and the needlefish.

depth

Almost always in the top 2 m, close to the surface.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Surface casting Natural bait with float Fly fishing

rod: 6' to 7', fast action, 6 to 12 lb
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 1000 to 2500
line: monofilament 6 to 12 lb or braided line 8 to 15 lb
leader: fluorocarbon 10 to 20 lb, 40 to 60 cm
hook: small single hook with a sharp point (the mouth is hard and the hook holds poorly)

lures

small spoon
jig, 3 to 7 g
thin, long streamer, white or green (fly)

natural baits

small live fish (sardine, manjuba, tainha)
strips of fish

accessories

long-nose pliers
protective glasses

tip from an angler

The hard beak holds little: offer a thin, long bait, wait for the needlefish to turn the bait in its mouth, and set the hook only after that. Use long-nose pliers to remove the hook.

what the law says

rules for the atlantic needlefish

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: Not on the Brazilian national list (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026). Outside Mexico we found no specific rule for the species.

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, with at most 5 of the same species. The zambaia-azul is not among the species reserved for sport fishing and has no quota of its own. Fish over the limit are released alive, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. Anyone fishing from a boat needs the recreational fishing permits set out in the rule.

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

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 body, behind the head, with the beak away from your face, and remove the hook with long-nose pliers. Release it with its head in the water, facing the current or the tide.

in the kitchen

Sold fresh, in small-scale commercial fishing, according to FishBase. Clean and scale it right after catch and keep it on ice.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.00132, b = 3.04; 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: Strongylura marina (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight relationship, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026. The common size range is an editorial estimate around the 60 cm common length reported by FishBase.
scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Strongylura marinaNames by country and language.
official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
scientific Pinto, M. F.; Mourão, J. S.; Alves, R. R. N. (2015). Use of ichthyofauna by artisanal fishermen at two protected areas along the coast of Northeast Brazil. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine.Common names recorded from artisanal fishers in Tamandaré (PE) and the Batoque Extractive Reserve (CE).
official NOM-017-PESC-1994 (pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do México), modificação publicada no DOF em 25/11/2013 (Sagarpa/Conapesca)Limit of 10 marine fish per angler per day, no more than 5 of the same species (item 4.9.1), return of the excess (4.9.5) and ban on selling sport-caught fish (4.11). Text checked Oct 13, 2026. The rule sets no quota of its own for this species.

don't confuse

similar species

Belonidae

Hound needlefish

Tylosurus crocodilus

A large needlefish with a rounded body and a strong beak, which hunts fish at the surface of lagoons and reefs. It strikes surface lures on the cast and when trolling, and its beak wounds anyone in the path of its jump.

Sea

time of year

Belonidae

Flat needlefish

Ablennes hians

A needlefish with a body flattened from side to side, dark bars on the flank and tall sickle-shaped lobes on the dorsal and anal fins. It lives in coastal and oceanic waters, near islands, and is attracted to light at night.

EstuarySea

time of year