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Illustration of Blacksmith
fishing forecast

blacksmith

Chromis punctipinnis · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the blacksmith

how to recognize it

Laterally compressed body, small mouth and forked tail, as in other damselfish. Adults stay next to rocks, especially on steep banks and in kelp forests, and at night they retreat into holes in the rocks. Juveniles form schools in open sea, away from the rocky shore. It belongs to the damselfish family, of reefs and rocky shores.

Also called: castanheta-ferreiro, castanheta, castañeta herrera, blacksmith

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

Where to look: Rocky bottom and sloping banks, from 2 to 46 m, with kelp forests; juveniles in open sea.

Eastern Pacific, from California to central Baja California, Mexico, on rocky shores and kelp beds.

rules for the blacksmith

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.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0123, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the blacksmith

Fish of the family Pomacentridae, the damselfish group, with a laterally compressed body, reaching 25 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from Monterey, California, to central Baja California, Mexico, from 2 to 46 m. Adults stay near the bottom, over rocks and sloping banks, and also in kelp forests, and at night they retreat into holes in the rocks. Juveniles form schools in open water. During breeding they form pairs: the eggs stick to the bottom, and the male guards and aerates them. It is caught in sport fishing and on a small commercial scale.

Family: Pomacentridae · forage fish

fun facts

  • Males guard and aerate the eggs, which stick to the rocky bottom.

in the kitchen

It has good flesh to eat.

sources and references (2)

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: Chromis punctipinnis (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 Chromis punctipinnisNames by country and language.