fourwing flyingfish
Hirundichthys affinis · Exocoetidae · forage fish
Surface-dwelling flyingfish, one of the most important species in commercial fishing in the eastern Caribbean. It is rarely caught on rod and line and is sold fresh.
Also called: avuador-da-pesca, holandês, peixe-avuador-pequeno, fourwing flyingfish
- maximum
- 33 cm
- depth
- 0–100 m
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…
—
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 —?
choose 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.
the fishing month at a glance
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.
everything about the fourwing flyingfish
who is the fourwing flyingfish
Flyingfish of the family Exocoetidae. It reaches 33 cm and forms schools at the surface, both near and far from the coast, from the North American Atlantic to northern Brazil. It jumps out of the water and glides over long distances. It spawns at the surface and down to 20 m depth. In fishing, it is one of the most important commercial species of the eastern Caribbean, and is considered a good fish to eat. It is also used as bait and sold fresh.
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 fourwing flyingfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- In the eastern Caribbean, mature adults disappear at the end of spawning, in June, perhaps because they die after spawning.
identification
Elongated, thick body, slightly flattened underneath, with a short, blunt snout. The back is iridescent blue or green, and the dorsal fin has almost no color. The strongest mark is the very long, dark pectoral fins, with a light triangle at the base and a narrow white edge, and the large pelvic fins, which reach past the origin of the anal fin. It looks like the tropical two-wing flyingfish (Exocoetus volitans), which has grey pectorals.
where found
In Latin America it occurs in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Guianas, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and northern Brazil.
Habitat: Sea surface, in schools, both near and far from the coast, from 0 to 100 m.
coast
rules for the fourwing flyingfish
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 (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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.
It poses no danger to people. Handle it with wet hands and return it to the water quickly.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh and considered good to eat.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00813, b = 3.01; 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
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: Hirundichthys affinis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hirundichthys affinisNames 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.
similar species
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: