Skip to content
Illustration of Sailfin flyingfish
fishing forecast

sailfin flyingfish

Parexocoetus brachypterus · full profile

location

Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.

period

Loading the forecast…

the species

everything about the sailfin flyingfish

how to recognize it

Iridescent blue-green back and silvery belly. The dorsal fin is black, except at the base and the rear rays, which are pale, and the pelvic fins are grey. Unlike the tropical two-wing flyingfish (Exocoetus volitans), which has grey pectorals and tail, this one has a dark dorsal fin. It looks like the fourwing flyingfish (Hirundichthys affinis), but its pectoral is dark with a white edge.

Also called: avuador-de-nadadeira-curta, peixe-voador, volador aletón, sailfin flyingfish

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Coastal surface waters, 0 to 20 m.

It occurs in the Caribbean and the western Atlantic, from Florida to Brazil, and also in a separate population in the tropical Pacific, in the Bay of Panama.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastal

rules for the sailfin flyingfish

Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.

Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

—

how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00646, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the sailfin flyingfish

The short-finned flyingfish belongs to the family Exocoetidae. It reaches 20 cm and lives in coastal waters, near the surface, from 0 to 20 m. It occurs in the western Atlantic, from Florida to Brazil, and in the Caribbean, and also in the eastern Atlantic, from Guinea to Angola. During spawning, groups of three or four individuals gather. It is carnivorous. It is not an important food fish, but the commercial fleet catches it now and then.

Family: Exocoetidae · forage fish

fun facts

  • During spawning, groups of three or four leap together over the surface of the water.

similar species

sources and references (3)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Parexocoetus brachypterus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Parexocoetus brachypterusNames by country and language.
  3. 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.