blue mackerel
Scomber australasicus · Scombridae · forage fish
Mackerel of the Pacific coastal and oceanic waters, which appears in Mexico, forms schools, is caught with nets and is used as bait.
Also called: cavalinha-azul, macarela azul, caballa pintoja, blue mackerel
- maximum
- 50 cm
- record/max.
- 1.4 kg
- depth
- 87–200 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
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee 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 blue mackerel
who is the blue mackerel
The blue mackerel is a fish of the family Scombridae, a relative of the Pacific mackerel, living in coastal and oceanic waters, from 87 m deep and below. It forms schools by size, which may include jacks and Pacific sardines. In Latin America it occurs in Mexico, including Socorro Island. It reaches 50 cm and 1.4 kg, and the common size is 30 cm. It feeds mainly on copepods and other small crustaceans, and adults also eat small fish and squid. It is caught with purse seines and is often used as bait.
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 blue mackerel; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Spindle-shaped body, with narrow, oblique lines that form a zigzag on the back. The belly is pearly white, with fine, wavy, broken lines. The body is covered in small scales and has no well-developed armored plate at the front. It belongs to the same genus as the Pacific mackerel (Scomber japonicus), which also lives in the region, and the pattern of lines on the back and belly is the main feature.
where found
In Latin America, the species appears in Mexico, near Socorro Island, in coastal and oceanic Pacific waters. Outside the region, it occurs from the Red Sea and Japan to Australia and New Zealand, and in Hawaii.
Habitat: Coastal and oceanic waters, from 87 m deep and below.
rules for the blue mackerel
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. Handle with wet hands and carefully release the specimens you are not keeping.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh, dried and salted, smoked, canned and frozen.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00891, 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
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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: Scomber australasicus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Scomber australasicusNames 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: