drab sole
Achirus achirus · Achiridae · predator
Sole of estuaries and brackish waters of northern Brazil, which buries itself in the mud leaving only its eyes exposed. It has a commercial fishery and is rarely seen on the line.
Also called: chula, solha, linguado, tapa, drab sole
- maximum
- 37 cm
- record/max.
- 1.0 kg
- depth
- 1–20 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 drab sole
who is the drab sole
Sole of the family Achiridae, up to 37 cm and common size near 30 cm. It occurs from the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela, to the Amazon mouth, in estuaries, rivers and coastal streams, where it sometimes goes quite far upstream. Adults stay in the littoral zone, down to 20 m, and bury themselves completely in the sediment, leaving only the eyes out to watch for prey and predators. It feeds on small crustaceans and fish. The species has a commercial fishery and also appears in public aquariums.
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 drab sole; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It remains almost completely buried in the sediment, leaving only its eyes out to watch for prey and predators.
identification
Sole with a short, flat body, both eyes on the same side of the head and no spines in the dorsal and anal fins. It can be confused with the tapa (Achirus lineatus), but the chula occurs only in the north, from the Gulf of Paria to the Amazon mouth, while the tapa reaches northern Argentina. That difference in range is the best sign for telling them apart on the northern coast.
where found
It occurs from the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela and Trinidad, to the Amazon mouth, with records from the Guianas, in estuaries and brackish waters.
Habitat: Mud and sand of estuaries, rivers and the littoral zone, down to 20 m.
coast
rules for the drab sole
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).
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.
Harmless to anglers, with no dangerous spines or teeth. When removing it from the hook or net, avoid damaging the fins.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01, b = 3.05; 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: Achirus achirus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Achirus achirusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
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: