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fishing forecast

gulf of mexico fringed sole

Gymnachirus texae · Achiridae · predator

A flounder of the Gulf of Mexico that lives deeper, generally between 55 and 90 m. It has commercial fishing and does not appear in rod fishing.

Also called: linguado-texano, suela texana, gulf of mexico fringed sole

Scientific illustration of Gulf of Mexico fringed sole
maximum
14 cm
depth
55–90 m
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the gulf of mexico fringed sole

overview

who is the gulf of mexico fringed sole

A flounder of the family Achiridae, up to 14 cm. It is a small, flat, demersal fish that lives on the bottom of the western Gulf of Mexico. Depth ranges from 20 to 187 m, and it is normally found between 55 and 90 m. It occurs from western Florida to Yucatán, Mexico. It has commercial fishing. It belongs to the same genus as another flounder, Gymnachirus melas, which lives in shallower waters.

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 gulf of mexico fringed sole; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

A small flounder, up to 14 cm, with a flattened body and both eyes on the same side of the head. It has no spines in the dorsal and anal fins. By genus it resembles Gymnachirus melas, but the Gulf of Mexico species lives deeper, between 55 and 90 m, while melas stays in shallow coastal waters, 0 to 73 m.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

In Mexico it occurs in the western Gulf of Mexico, from western Florida to Yucatán, on shelf bottoms.

Habitat: Shelf bottoms of the western Gulf of Mexico, generally between 55 and 90 m.

what the law says

rules for the gulf of mexico fringed 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.

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 handling it, hold it carefully and avoid damaging the fins.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0138, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Gymnachirus texae (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 Gymnachirus texaeNames by country and language.
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