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.
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why this index at —?
choose the day
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 leather bass
how to recognize it
Deep, strongly compressed body, tallest at the origin of the dorsal fin; steep, oblique forehead profile, snout much longer than the eye, short pectoral fins, a caudal fin with a straight to rounded edge, and smooth scales, almost covered by skin. Grayish-brown color, with alternating bars from dark gray to nearly black and from white to light gray, covered with pale spots; fin edges narrowly yellow. Juveniles are black, with many narrow white bars and a white tail with black spots. STRI cites Cephalopholis panamensis as the similar species.
Also called: garoupa-de-couro, leather bass, cabrilla de cuero, mero cuero
don't confuse with:
where found
open on the large mapWhere to look: Rocky and coral reefs at 20 to 40 m, deeper around the oceanic islands; juveniles among the spines of sea urchins.
Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific: from southern California (USA) to Peru, with the Gulf of California and the oceanic islands (Revillagigedo, Coco, Clipperton and Galápagos).
when to fish
best season
There is no well-defined season: the species lives on reefs all year. Warm, clear water in summer and early autumn usually gives the best conditions at the oceanic islands, but check the area's rules before fishing.
best time of day
Daytime. Daytime predator: hunts by day, near the rocks, and becomes more active when other fish stir up the bottom. At night it tends to shelter.
what affects the leather bass
cold and cold fronts
Cold upwelling water drives fish off the shallow reefs.
atmospheric pressure
Little direct effect; a churned-up sea after a front hinders bottom fishing.
moon
Small effect.
rain
Little effect on the bottom.
water level
Not applicable at sea.
noise
A boat banging on the rocks and an engine over the spot scare the fish; approach calmly and anchor before the rock.
wind
Strong wind makes it hard to keep the boat over the rock.
tide
Moderate current along the rocks moves food and keeps the fish active.
depth
From 20 to 40 m over rocky and coral reefs; deeper around the oceanic islands.
how to fish
lures
- metal jig 100 to 200 g
- large jig head with shad
- slow jig
natural baits
- small fish, whole or in fillet
- lula
- octopus pieces
tip from an angler
Fish over rocks at 20 to 40 m and keep the fish away from its den right at the hookset: the leather bass bolts for its hole as soon as it feels the hook. Before heading out, check that the area is not a park or reserve.
- rod
- 6'6" to 7', 30 to 50 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- 6000 to 8000 spinning reel or small conventional reel with strong drag
- line
- braid 40 to 65 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 60 to 100 lb, 1 to 1.5 m
- hook
- circle 5/0 to 8/0
accessories
- descender (fish descender)
- sinker 150 to 300 g
- alicate
- luva
catch and release
A bottom fish can rise with an inflated swim bladder: use a descender to return it to depth. Don't puncture the bladder. Keep the fish in the water as long as possible and release those over the bag limit.
rules for the leather bass
Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Mexico: up to 5 per species and 10 saltwater fish per day
5 specimens of the species per angler per day, within the limit of 10 saltwater fish details
In federal waters of Mexico, recreational sport fishing allows each angler to keep up to 10 marine fish per day, no more than 5 of the same species. The garoupa-de-couro (leather bass) is not among the species reserved for sport fishing (marlins, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon (sábalo), roosterfish and dorado, up to 50 nautical miles from shore, item 0.3 of the standard) and has no quota of its own. Fish over the quota must go back alive, and sport-caught fish may not be sold. Anyone fishing from a boat needs an individual permit; from shore, no.
Mexico: fishing prohibited in Revillagigedo National Park
Fishing in any mode is prohibited throughout the park details
The decree that created Revillagigedo National Park, in the Mexican Pacific, prohibits fishing of any kind throughout the park, without distinguishing commercial from sport fishing. Catching marine resources is allowed only for scientific research or to feed park staff. NOM-017 also bans sport fishing in protected natural areas (item 4.10).
Costa Rica: sport fishing prohibited in national parks (Cocos Island)
Prohibited in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves details
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (Law 8436) prohibits commercial and sport fishing in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves. Cocos Island, where this species occurs, is a national park. Anyone who authorizes or carries out fishing in these areas faces a fine of twenty to sixty base salaries and loses the license (art. 153).
Source: Ley 8436, Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (Costa Rica), arts. 9 and 153
Colombia: sport fishing has ceased to exist as a category; tourist fishing applies (Law 2501/2025)
Transition period: confirm with AUNAP before fishingconfirm with the agency details
In Judgment C-148 of Apr 27, 2022, the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the rules that provided for sport fishing, with effects postponed by one year. Law 2501, enacted on Jul 28, 2025, created the tourist fishing category, and the rules (gear, quantities, minimum sizes, methods, zones and seasons) depend on regulations from the Ministry of Agriculture with AUNAP. We have not confirmed whether the decrees have been issued: check with AUNAP and use a licensed tourism operator before fishing or keeping any fish.
Source: Constitutional Court of Colombia, Judgment C-148/2022; Law 2501 of 2025 (Congress of Colombia)
Conservation: Of little concern globally. Part of the species' range lies in protected areas of the oceanic islands (Revillagigedo, Cocos), and we did not check national assessments in the countries on the entry.
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 = 0.01122, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
more about the leather bass
Leather bass of the eastern Pacific, from southern California (USA) to Peru, including the Gulf of California and the oceanic islands (Revillagigedo, Coco, Clipperton and Galápagos). Lives on rocky and coral reefs, generally at 20 to 40 m and down to about 90 m, and juveniles shelter among the long spines of the sea urchins Centrostephanus and Diadema. Adults are daytime predators of bottom fish and, at times, crustaceans and octopus. They often use bottom-grubbing herbivorous fish as moving cover, and follow hunting morays to catch prey that flees its hiding places. It reaches about 1 m and at least 12.5 kg. It has a small commercial fishery and is listed as a sport fish, but it is rarely caught: it is fished on the bottom from boats over rocks and patches. In Revillagigedo (Mexico) and Cocos Island (Costa Rica), where it occurs, fishing is prohibited.
Family: Epinephelidae · predator
fun facts
- The juvenile is black with many narrow white bars and a white tail with black spots, so different from the adult that it looks like another species.
- Adults use herbivorous fish and morays as cover: they follow them to catch prey that flees.
- Juveniles hide among the long spines of the sea urchins Centrostephanus and Diadema.
- The genus name, Dermatolepis, means skin scale: the scales are smooth and almost covered by skin.
in the kitchen
White, firm flesh, like the other groupers; commercial fishing is small. Good grilled, baked or in ceviche.
similar species
sources and references (9)
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
- scientific FishBase: Dermatolepis dermatolepis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight relationship, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked Oct 13, 2026. The common size range in the entry is an editorial estimate, since FishBase gives no common length. STRI cites a depth of 5 to 90 m; the entry keeps FishBase's usual range.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Dermatolepis dermatolepisNames by country and language.
- scientific Robertson, D. R. & Allen, G. R. (2024). Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system, versão 3.0. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Dermatolepis dermatolepisDescription, colors of adult and juvenile, size (100 cm and at least 12.5 kg), depth of 5 to 90 m, diet and distribution in the eastern Pacific. Page checked Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific IUCN Red List: Dermatolepis dermatolepis (avaliação global)Least Concern (LC), assessed Jun 2, 2017. Assessment checked in the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2); the species' Red List link was not opened.
- official DOF: Modificação da NOM-017-PESC-1994, para regular a pesca deportivo-recreativa em águas de jurisdição federal do México (publicada em 25/11/2013)Reserves species for sport fishing (item 0.3), permits (4.3 and 4.14), rods and hooks (4.6), bait (4.7), chumming in tournaments (4.8), daily limits at sea (4.9.1) and in fresh water (4.9.2), catch and release (4.9.5), closed zones, seasons and protected areas (4.10), a ban on selling the catch (4.11) and filleting (4.12). Text checked on Oct 13, 2026; the DOF records publication on Nov 25, 2013 and signature on Oct 14, 2013. We found no specific Conapesca federal closed season for this species.
- official DOF: Decreto que declara área natural protegida, com o caráter de parque nacional, a região conhecida como Revillagigedo (27/11/2017)Decree signed Nov 24, 2017. Article 10 prohibits fishing of any kind throughout the park and allows catches only for scientific research or to feed park staff.
- official Costa Rica: Ley 8436, Ley de Pesca y AcuiculturaText read in the FAOLEX copy: art. 9 (prohibits commercial and sport fishing in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves) and art. 153 (fine and license cancellation).
- official Corte Constitucional da Colômbia: Sentença C-148 de 27 de abril de 2022 (pesca deportiva)We checked the date and summary of the judgment, which holds sport fishing unconstitutional. The one-year postponement of effects comes from press reports on the decision; we did not read the full operative part.
- press Agenda del Mar: Pesca de turismo, qué se aprobó y qué falta (Lei 2501 de 2025)Reports the enactment of Law 2501 on Jul 28, 2025 and the regulatory deadlines (six months for tourism and one year for zones, species, methods and seasons). We could not open the official text of the law or confirm whether the decrees have been issued.
how we calculatewhere 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: