Federal minimum size (35 cm) in the Southeast and South
35 cm (TL)ESRJSPPRSCRSSoutheast CoastSouth Coast
It is banned to fish for, keep on board or land bluefish under 35 cm total length on the coast of ES, RJ, SP, PR, SC and RS.
fishing forecast
bluefish
Pomatomus saltatrix · Pomatomidae · predator
SeaEstuaryIUCN global: VU · vulnerable
The winter fish of the South and Southeast. It hits jig and sardine hard, jumps, and has teeth that cut line.
Also called: anchova, enchova, anchovinha (jovem), anchovão (grande)
- common size
- 40–60 cm
- maximum
- 130 cm
- common weight
- 0.8–3 kg
- record/max.
- 14.0 kg
- depth
- 0.5–60 m
- ideal water
- 16–22 °C
fishing forecast
the right time
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
0—
index Score from 0 to 100 for the fishing conditions of each hour. It reads weather, sun, moon, tide and the species' habits. It doesn't promise fish: it tells you when the water is on your side. 0–24 poor · 25–44 fair · 45–64 good · 65–84 very good · 85–100 excellent.
today
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confidence —
confidence How much you can trust the weather forecast for the day. It drops with distance and when the models disagree. It is not the chance of catching fish.
models and trend Up to 16 days, three global weather models (the European ECMWF, the American GFS and a high-resolution blend) read hour by hour; when they disagree, the light band on the chart widens. Beyond that it's a trend: 31 runs of the American GEFS model. Confirm when it's 1 week out.
window Consecutive hours with the index near the day's peak and no danger alert. It is the time to have the bait in the water.
hour by hour
tap or drag on the chart to read each hour · on a keyboard, arrow keyssee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
next 7 days
chart: bar height = day's index · line = variation between models · striped = trend · fainter = less confidencechoose the day
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.
4-week calendar
the fishing month at a glance
plan a trip
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
the species
everything about the bluefish
overview
who is the bluefish
The bluefish is the winter fish of the South and Southeast. A fast predator, it moves in schools that chase sardines, manjubas and young mullets in the surf zone, at inlets and around islands and ledges. It comes inshore with cold water, mainly from May to September in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, and follows cold fronts. It hits bait violently, jumps, and has razor-sharp teeth that cut line and the hand. The big ones, over 5 kg, are called jumbo bluefish. It is a fish of jetties, beaches, rocky shores and boats. The meat is oily and tasty, excellent over coals, but it spoils fast: bleed and chill it right away.
fun facts
- It is the same species as the bluefish of the United States and Australia.
- It hunts in a frenzy: sometimes it kills more fish than it can eat.
how to recognize it
identification
Elongated, sturdy body, blue-green back, silver flanks and a black spot at the base of the pectoral fin. Large mouth with sharp triangular teeth and a protruding lower jaw. First dorsal low and short, second long. Difference from crevalle jack and blue runner: bluefish has no bony scutes on the lateral line, a more fusiform body and cutting teeth. Versus Spanish mackerel: Spanish mackerel has yellow spots and finlets behind the dorsal fin.
distribution
open on the large map where found
From Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul, with the best season in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul in winter; also important at Cabo Frio, the islands of Rio de Janeiro and the São Paulo coast.
Habitat: Surf zone of beaches, jetties and inlets, rocky shores, islands, ledges and coastal offshore reefs.
coast
Southeast CoastSouth Coastcoastalshelf
states
Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: May–Aug
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Winter is the season: in the South, from May to September, peaking in June and July. In the Southeast it shows up from autumn to spring, more so in cold-water years. In summer, coastal fishing drops off a lot.
best time of day
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Strikes are strongest at dawn and dusk; at night it also bites on the beach and at the jetty.
what affects the bluefish
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Cold-water fish: cold fronts bring bluefish to the coast. Unseasonal heat delays the season.
atmospheric pressure
After the front, with south wind and the sea going down, it's usually excellent.
moon
Spring tides move bait at inlets and jetties.
rain
Rain doesn't hurt; very muddy water at the inlet drives it off.
water level
Heavy surf prevents fishing at the jetty and rocky shore; two days later, with greenish water, is the time.
noise
Moderate; a school feeding at the surface tolerates a boat, but a motor over the school makes the fish sink.
wind
A moderate south wind helps; a strong northeast wind and warm water shut the bite down.
tide
At inlets and jetties, the ebb concentrates bait leaving the estuary, and it's the most cited tide. On the beach, the flood and mid-tide with foam produce. At slack tide the school scatters.
depth
Surface to 15 m inshore; down to 60 m on the offshore reefs.
how to fish
- rod
- rocky shore and beach: 10 to 13 ft, 60 to 150 g; from a boat: 6'6" to 7'0", 20 to 40 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- spinning reel 5000 to 8000
- line
- braided line 20 to 40 lb
- leader
- short crimped wire leader (10 to 15 cm) or fluorocarbon 50 to 60 lb
- hook
- long-shank hook 2/0 to 5/0; treble hook on the jigs
lures
- metal jig 30 to 80 g
- colher
- popper and zara on the rocky shore
- mid-water
natural baits
- whole sardine
- live small mullet
- manjuba
- lula
accessories
- long pliers (never your hand near the mouth)
- knife for bleeding
- insulated cooler with ice
tip from an angler
At the jetty and rocky shore, cast a metal jig far and retrieve it fast with jerks. When one strikes, cast again in the same spot: it's a school.
ready-made kit
rocky shore (sargo, snook and bluefish)
Walk-in fishing on rocky shores, with natural bait on the bottom and artificial lures in the foam, always in calm sea.
guidehow to read the beach and rocky shore
Find troughs, sandbars and rip currents, choose tide and time, and fish the rocky shore without risking your life.
guidehow to work artificial lures
Zara, prop bait, popper, jerkbait, shad, jig, spoon and spinnerbait: the right movement for each and how to adjust the rhythm to water temperature and fish activity.
rules for the bluefish
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 national list of threatened species (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026).
Closed season for bluefish (anchova) on the southern coast (PR, SC and RS)
01/12 to 31/03PRSCRSSouth Coastconfirm with the agency
Article 4 prohibits, every year, "the catching of bluefish (anchova) on the country's southern coast." The rest of the rule covers authorized vessels (coastal purse seine and surface gillnet), which may only start fishing from Apr 1. During the period, transport and sale are allowed only for declared stock or for bluefish caught as bycatch in other authorized fisheries.
Source: Instrução Normativa Interministerial MPA/MMA nº 02/2009, art. 4º
Minimum size: 35 cm
ESRJSPPRSCRSSoutheast CoastSouth Coast
Source: IN MMA nº 53/2005 (coast from ES to RS; total length)
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.
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.
Use pliers: the teeth cut deep. Hold firmly by the body, release quickly and avoid touching the gills.
in the kitchen
Dark, oily and very tasty meat, good grilled over coals, baked or smoked. Bleed and chill right after catching.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01072, b = 2.97; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). 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 — Pomatomus saltatrix (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- 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)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Pomatomus saltatrix (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2026. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Pomatomus saltatrix (avaliação global: Vulnerável, VU, 07/07/2014)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Haimovici, M.; Krug, L. C. (1996). Life history and fishery of the enchova, Pomatomus saltatrix, in southern Brazil. Marine and Freshwater Research 47: 357–363.
- scientific Menezes, N. A.; Buckup, P. A.; Figueiredo, J. L.; Moura, R. L. (orgs.) (2003). Catálogo das espécies de peixes marinhos do Brasil. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia da USP. 160 p.List of the marine species recorded in Brazil. Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase, which cites the catalogue for the species.
similar species
how we calculate
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: