shortjaw leatherjacket
Oligoplites refulgens · Carangidae · predator
Leatherjack of the eastern Pacific, with an elongated, laterally compressed body and venomous spines on the dorsal and anal fins. It lives in coastal waters and may enter estuaries.
Also called: guaivira-de-maxila-curta, chaqueta de cuero, piña flaca, sardina piña, shortjaw leatherjacket
- maximum
- 28 cm
- record/max.
- 0.1 kg
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 shortjaw leatherjacket
who is the shortjaw leatherjacket
The shortjaw leatherjack belongs to the family Carangidae, the same as the jacks. It has an elongated, very laterally compressed body and small teeth in the mouth. It reaches 28 cm total length, and its common size is 20 cm. It lives in coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Ecuador, with a record also at Paita, Peru, and it can temporarily enter estuaries because it tolerates low salinity. It enters small-scale commercial fishing. The spines of the dorsal and anal fins are connected to venom glands and cause painful wounds, so handling requires care.
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 shortjaw leatherjacket; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Elongated, very laterally compressed body, dark gray on the back and silvery on the flanks and belly, with yellowish reflections. The dorsal and anal fins are charcoal gray, the pectorals and caudal are yellow and the pelvic fins are white. The rear tip of the maxilla reaches only to the middle of the eye, and the teeth are small. To tell it apart from the longjaw leatherjack (Oligoplites altus), check the maxilla: in that species the tip extends past the rear edge of the eye.
where found
Eastern Pacific of Latin America, from Mexico and Central America to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, in coastal waters and estuaries.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, in midwater, that may enter estuaries.
rules for the shortjaw leatherjacket
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.
The spines of the dorsal and anal fins carry venom and cause painful wounds. Handle it with a cloth or glove, and remove the hook carefully so you do not get stuck.
in the kitchen
It is usually sold fresh, salted or dried.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00708, b = 2.94; 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: Oligoplites refulgens (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Oligoplites refulgensNames 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: