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Illustration of Pacific sanddab
fishing forecast

pacific sanddab

Citharichthys sordidus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the pacific sanddab

how to recognize it

Flat, oval body, with the upper side brown or beige, irregularly speckled with dark, and the underside white to light brown. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are black. Freshly caught males have dull orange spots and dots. Juveniles are olive green on the upper side, with brown, black and orange dots, mainly on the fins. Among eastern Pacific flounders, the rounded caudal fin and the large, pointed pectoral fins help identify it.

Also called: linguado-de-areia-do-pacífico, lenguado moteado, pacific sanddab

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Sand bottom, from shallow water down to 549 m; juveniles stay near the coast, in less than 9 m.

In Latin America, only in Mexico, in Baja California, on Pacific sand bottoms; the species ranges from Alaska to Cabo San Lucas.

rules for the pacific sanddab

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.

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 = 0.00977, b = 3.07; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the pacific sanddab

Flatfish of the family Cyclopsettidae, with a flat, oval body, reaching 41 cm. The upper side is brown or beige, irregularly speckled with dark, and the underside is white to light brown. It lives on sand bottoms in the eastern Pacific, from Alaska to Baja California, from 0 to 549 m deep. Juveniles can be found in less than 9 m. It has a rounded caudal fin and large, pointed pectoral fins. It is caught commercially and with rod, and it is used as a sport fish.

Family: Cyclopsettidae · predator

similar species

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Citharichthys sordidus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Citharichthys sordidusNames by country and language.