spotted sand bass
Paralabrax maculatofasciatus · Serranidae · predator
Sea bass of sand bottoms near stones and seagrass in the eastern Pacific, reaching 60 cm. It is an important sport fish in bays and harbors.
Also called: cabrilha-manchada, cabrilla de roca, spotted sand bass
- maximum
- 60 cm
- record/max.
- 0.9 kg
- depth
- 1–61 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…
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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 spotted sand bass
who is the spotted sand bass
Sea bass of the family Serranidae. It reaches 60 cm and up to 900 g. It lives on sand or mud bottoms near rocks and seagrass, from the shore down to 60 m. It ranges from Monterey, California, to Mexico, including the Gulf of California, and a record exists for Nicaragua. It is a shy fish that feeds on small fish and bottom crustaceans during the day. Spawning takes place in open water, with eggs released freely. It is an important sport fish in bays and harbors.
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 spotted sand bass; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Tolerates water temperatures from 7.5 °C to 32 °C.
- There are reports of individuals up to 20 years old.
identification
Sea bass with spots over the body, as its common name indicates, on sand and mud bottoms near rocks, seagrass and the coast, down to 60 m. It looks like the kelp bass, which lives on the same coast, and like the barred sand bass, but the latter has stripes, not spots.
where found
Lives in the eastern Pacific, from central California to Mexico, including the Gulf of California. In Latin America, it occurs in Mexico, and a record exists for Nicaragua.
Habitat: Sand or mud bottom near rocks and seagrass, from the shore down to 60 m.
when to fish
best time of day
Daytime. It feeds on small fish and bottom crustaceans during the day.
rules for the spotted sand bass
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.
Poses no danger to anglers. When releasing it, remove the hook carefully so the fish survives.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01175, b = 3.04; 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
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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.
- scientific FishBase: Paralabrax maculatofasciatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Paralabrax maculatofasciatusNames by country and language.
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: