fishing forecast

yellowtail snapper

Ocyurus chrysurus · Lutjanidae · predator

Sea

A red fish with a yellow tail that schools in midwater. Fast and fun night fishing with chum.

Also called: guaiúba, yellowtail snapper

everything about the yellowtail snapper where found

Scientific illustration of Yellowtail snapper

common size: 25–45 cm
maximum: 86 cm
common weight: 0.3–1.5 kg
record/max.: 4.1 kg
depth: 5–70 m
ideal water: 25–29 °C

location

Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.

species

period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

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index Score from 0 to 100 for the fishing conditions of each hour. It reads weather, sun, moon, tide and the species' habits. It doesn't promise fish: it tells you when the water is on your side. 0–24 poor · 25–44 fair · 45–64 good · 65–84 very good · 85–100 excellent.

today

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confidence —

confidence How much you can trust the weather forecast for the day. It drops with distance and when the models disagree. It is not the chance of catching fish.

models and trend Up to 16 days, three global weather models (the European ECMWF, the American GFS and a high-resolution blend) read hour by hour; when they disagree, the light band on the chart widens. Beyond that it's a trend: 31 runs of the American GEFS model. Confirm when it's 1 week out.

window Consecutive hours with the index near the day's peak and no danger alert. It is the time to have the bait in the water.

hour by hour

slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hour

see hour-by-hour table

why this index at —?

next 7 days

choose the day

chart: bar height = day's index · line = variation between models · striped = trend · fainter = less confidence

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 species

everything about the yellowtail snapper

overview

who is the yellowtail snapper

The yellowtail snapper (guaiúba) is a midwater lutjanid, unlike its relatives that stay close to the bottom. It moves in schools over reefs, shoals and gravel, usually from 10 to 70 m, and rises for food when there is chum. It eats small fish, shrimp, squid and large plankton. It is the star of night fishing in the Northeast and Bahia: with ground sardine chum running in the current, the school rises and the fishing picks up. It is not large, rarely more than 2 kg, but it fights hard for its size on light tackle. It is wary of heavy line and strong light.

fun facts

Unlike other reds, it hunts a lot in midwater and far from the bottom.
The genus name, Ocyurus, comes from Greek and means fast tail.

how to recognize it

identification

A slender, spindle-shaped body with a yellow stripe from the snout to the tail, widening toward the back. Yellow, deeply forked tail. Blue-olive back with yellow spots, pinkish flanks. Small mouth and red eye. The cubera snapper is taller, has no yellow stripe and has a black spot. The lane snapper has several yellow and pink stripes and a dark spot on the lateral line.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Reefs and shoals of the Northeast and Bahia, reaching Espírito Santo and northern Rio de Janeiro. Famous night fishing around Abrolhos (outside the Abrolhos Marine National Park) and on the Royal Charlotte bank (BA), and on shoals off Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. Common at Fernando de Noronha, but fishing there is restricted by conservation units.

Habitat: Midwater over reefs, shoals and gravel bottoms, from 5 to 70 m, in clear water.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast Coastcoastalshelf

states

Maranhão, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro

famous destinations

Natal — Rio Grande do Norte coast Recife — wrecks and Pernambuco coast Maceió — Alagoas coast Abrolhos and Caravelas Camamu Bay — Camamu and Maraú Fortaleza — coast and boat fishing João Pessoa — coast and parrachos Porto de Galinhas and southern Pernambuco coast

calendar and clock

when to fish

best season

time of yearbest: Oct–Mar

JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Can be fished year-round. Moonless nights with moderate current produce more.

best time of day

Night and twilight. Best at night and at dusk, when the school rises with the chum. During the day it is more wary and stays closer to the bottom.

weather, water and behavior

what affects the yellowtail snapper
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.

cold and cold fronts

A sharp drop in temperature leaves the school on the bottom and without appetite.

atmospheric pressure

Stable pressure helps; a cold front stirs up the sea and ends the night's fishing.

moon

A very bright full moon makes the school wary; the new moon and the waning quarter usually produce more.

rain

Light rain doesn't bother. Thunderstorm with lightning: head back.

water level

Not applicable at sea. The equivalent is the color and clarity of the water: look for blue, clean water and current lines.

noise

Noise on the hull and a strong flashlight pointed at the water scare the school. Use red light.

wind

Strong wind makes the boat drag its anchor and breaks up the chum trail.

tide

Moderate current carries the chum and the bait together; strong current scatters the school.

depth

Rises from 30 to 70 m to near the surface when the chum is well made.

technique, gear and bait

how to fish

Bottom fishing from a boat Natural bait on the bottom Jigging

rod: 6'6" to 7'0", 8 to 17 lb, fast action
spinning / baitcasting reel: spinning reel 2500 to 4000
line: braided line 12 to 20 lb
leader: fluorocarbon 20 to 30 lb, 2 to 3 m
hook: circle hook 1/0 to 3/0, fine and sharp

lures

small jigs 20 to 60 g
jig heads with small shad

natural baits

piece of sardine
squid strips
shrimp

accessories

ground sardine chum
small olive sinker, only if the current requires it
red light lantern

tip from an angler

Keep the chum steady and let the bait sink loose along with it, with no sinker. When the school rises, fish shallower.

ready-made kit

deep-water saltwater boat fishing (pargo cubera, ariacó, guaiúba and dentão)

Fishing from an anchored or drifting boat over reefs, ledges and wrecks, with natural bait on the rig, from 20 to 100 m deep.

ready-made kit

offshore jigging

Vertical fishing with metal jigs over reefs, wrecks and the shelf edge, from 30 to 150 m deep.

what the law says

rules for the yellowtail snapper

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 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). We found no specific federal rule for this species.

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.

Release the small ones quickly, holding them by the mouth. In deep fishing, watch for barotrauma.

in the kitchen

White, delicate and flavorful. Fried whole, baked or in moqueca.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

total length (cm)

Length-weight relationship W = a·L^b (a = 0.00805403, b = 2.95; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total); coeficiente a ajustado ao porte máximo registrado). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

estimated weight

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sources and references

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.