Reef badejo of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, with about 11 thin, pale lines slanting across the back. It has a February-to-March closed season in Mexico and closes from February to April in Puerto Rico.
Also called: badejo-tigre, serigado, tiger grouper
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.
location
Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.
period
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
—
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 keys
see hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
next 7 days
choose the day
chart: bar height = day's index · line = variation between models · striped = trend · fainter = less confidence
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 tiger grouper
overview
who is the tiger grouper
The badejo-tigre lives in the western Atlantic, from southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. It is a fish of coral reefs and rock bottoms, from 10 to 40 m, that ambushes its prey, hidden among corals and sponges, and lets anglers get close. It frequents cleaning stations. Of the prey in 59 specimens studied, all were fish. It is born female and becomes male as it grows: in Bermuda, fish under 37 cm were all female and those over 45 cm were male. It reaches 101 cm and 10 kg, and FishBase gives 40 cm as the common length. It is a commercial and sport fish. The IUCN classifies it as Data Deficient, and FishBase records ciguatera cases with the species.
fun facts
Ambush hunter: it stays still among corals and sponges and lets prey come to it.
It visits cleaning stations, where smaller fish remove parasites from it.
In Bermuda, fish under 37 cm were all female and those over 45 cm were male.
how to recognize it
identification
Elongated body, oval in cross-section, with about 11 thin, pale lines on the back, slanting downward and forward. No other Caribbean grouper has this pattern of diagonal lines. The corner of the preopercle is rounded, without a lobe, and the teeth are large, with well-developed canines. The badejo-ferro (Mycteroperca venenosa) has round dark spots and a yellow pectoral tip, without the diagonal lines.
In Brazil, FishBase gives the species for the tropical and subtropical coast, down to about 29°S; we found no survey stating which stretches are most common. Outside Brazil, it ranges from southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico (where it became abundant at the Flower Garden Banks, Texas) to the Guianas and Venezuela.
Habitat: Coral reefs and rock bottoms, from 10 to 40 m, hidden among corals and sponges.
coast
North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastcoastalshelf
calendar and clock
when to fish
best season
time of year
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
No set season, as it is a tropical reef fish. In Puerto Rico's federal waters fishing closes from February to April, and in Mexico the grouper closed season runs from February to March. In Brazil there is no specific closed season.
best time of day
Daytime, with peaks at dawn and dusk. Ambush predator: it stays still beside its shelter and strikes when prey is close, by day and during the light changes at dawn and dusk.
weather, water and behavior
what affects the tiger grouper
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
A tropical reef fish; cold fronts reduce its activity.
atmospheric pressure
A churned sea after a cold front shuts down bottom fishing.
moon
Effect poorly known; spring tides move more bait on the reef.
rain
Little effect at depth.
water level
Not applicable at sea.
noise
Anchor and hull knocking on the reef scare fish.
wind
Strong wind makes it hard to hold position over the spot.
tide
Moderate current activates feeding at the reef edge.
baitcasting reel 300 to 400 or spinning reel 6000 to 8000, with strong drag
line
braided line 50 to 65 lb
leader
fluorocarbon 60 to 100 lb, 1.5 m
hook
circle 5/0 to 8/0
lures
jig 80 to 200 g
mid-water plug over the reef
natural baits
small live fish
lula
accessories
descender (fish descender)
long-nose pliers
luvas
tip from an angler
Since the fish waits for prey to pass, keep the bait near the rock and lift the fish in the first few metres: once it has dived into a hole, it cuts the line on the coral.
what the law says
rules for the tiger grouper
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).
Mexico: grouper closed season from Feb 1 to Mar 31
catch prohibited from Feb 1 to Mar 3101/02 to 31/03
In Mexico, catching all grouper species, a group in which NOM-065 includes the badejo-tigre (cuna gata or mero vampiro), is banned from Feb 1 to Mar 31 in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, up to the border with Belize. Bottom longlines are also banned in that period. The agreement does not mention sport fishing: confirm with Conapesca whether it applies to your type of fishing.
Mexico: up to 3 kg of grouper per angler per day (household consumption)
3 kg per angler per day
In federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, NOM-065 allows, for household-consumption fishing, at most 3 kg per angler per day of any grouper species or associated species, such as the badejo-tigre. The fish is for the angler's and family's own consumption only, may not be sold, and only equipment that one person can operate alone is allowed. Sport fishing has its own rule (NOM-017-PESC-1994), which we did not check.
Puerto Rico (federal waters): closed from Feb 1 to Apr 30
fishing and possession prohibited from Feb 1 to Apr 3001/02 to 30/04
In federal waters around Puerto Rico, beyond 9 miles from shore, it is prohibited to fish for or have on board black, red, tiger, yellowedge and yellowfin grouper from February 1 to April 30 each year. The badejo-tigre is the tiger grouper on the list. The possession ban does not apply to fish caught and landed before the closure.
Puerto Rico (federal waters): up to 5 per person per day
5 per person per day; 15 per boat with 3 or more people
In federal waters around Puerto Rico, beyond 9 miles from the coast, the recreational angler may keep a maximum of 5 fish per day from groupers, snappers and parrotfish combined (up to 15 per boat when there are 3 or more people aboard). The limit does not apply to anyone with a commercial license from Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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.
If it comes from more than 15 to 20 m, use a descender. Support the belly and do not hold large fish by the mouth alone. In Puerto Rico (federal waters) and in Mexico, respect the closed seasons.
in the kitchen
It is sold fresh and is commercially caught, but FishBase records ciguatera cases with the species. On Caribbean reefs, follow local health advice on size and area before eating it.
calculator
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01122, b = 3.06; 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
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 field experience from anglers and guides. They are not official data or measurements made for this species and may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the rule and link. The common size and weight ranges, water temperature and typical depth are also editorial estimates, anchored in FishBase data.
scientificFishBase: Mycteroperca tigris (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked Oct 13, 2026. Common size and weight ranges, water temperature and typical depth: editorial estimates anchored in FishBase data. Name of this profile: 'serigado' is the only Brazilian Portuguese name FishBase lists for the species, but in Brazilian rules sirigado is the badejo-quadrado; so this profile uses 'badejo-tigre', a translation of 'tiger grouper'.
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.
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:
where are you going fishing?
Your location is saved only on this device and feeds the forecast, the map and the "today" on the home page.
