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fishing forecast

bagre-de-higuchi

Cathorops higuchii · Ariidae · omnivore

EstuarySeaessential profile

Small catfish of shallow coastal waters and the lower reaches of rivers, from Honduras to Panama. It has spines that sting the angler.

Also called: bagre-de-Higuchi, bagre de Higuchi

Scientific illustration of Bagre-de-Higuchi
maximum
19 cm
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the bagre-de-higuchi

overview

who is the bagre-de-higuchi

Catfish of the family Ariidae, up to 19 cm. It occurs from Honduras to Panama, including Costa Rica, in shallow coastal areas and the lower reaches of coastal rivers. It lives near the bottom, in brackish and marine waters. It has a commercial fishery. Like other marine catfish, it has fin spines that sting, so handle it with care. Among the Cathorops of the region, this species is told apart by a dorsal spine longer than the pectoral one.

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 bagre-de-higuchi; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

Catfish with a scaleless body and a head with a slightly granulated bony shield. The dorsal fin spine is longer than the pectoral one, and the pelvic fin is pale. In Belize, Cathorops belizensis has a dorsal spine the same length as the pectoral, which helps tell them apart.

distribution

where found

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It occurs from Honduras to Panama, including Costa Rica, in shallow coastal areas and the lower reaches of rivers.

Habitat: Shallow coastal areas and lower reaches of rivers, in brackish and marine waters, near the bottom.

what the law says

rules for the bagre-de-higuchi

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. 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.

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 has stinging spines: hold the catfish by the body, away from the fins, and remove the hook carefully.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00468, b = 3.13; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

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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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Cathorops higuchii (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 Cathorops higuchiiNames by country and language.
don't confuse

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