Robust, barred snapper of the eastern Pacific, with molar-like teeth that crack crustaceans. Lives on rocky reefs, hunts at night and is caught on the bottom with natural bait, from rocky shores and from boats.
Also called: pargo-coconaco, pargo-listrado, pargo-de-barras, Mexican barred snapper, barred pargo
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.
location
Sample location: choose yours to see the forecast for where you fish.
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
tap or drag on the chart to read each hour · on a keyboard, arrow keys
see hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
next 7 days
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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.
4-week calendar
the fishing month at a glance
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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.
the species
everything about the mexican barred snapper
overview
who is the mexican barred snapper
High-bodied snapper of the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Ecuador (FishBase says to Colombia), with Revillagigedo, Galápagos, Malpelo and Cocos (STRI). Adults live on rocky bottoms near coral reefs, from a few meters down to 40 to 50 m (STRI says common at 3 to 10 m and down to 100 m), and juveniles enter rocky tide pools. It is a nocturnal predator of crustaceans and small fish and spends the day sheltered in the rocky reefs; its molar-like side teeth help it crush shelled prey. It reaches 92 cm and 9.6 kg, with a common length of 50 cm (FishBase). It is caught on handline, sold fresh, and also appears in public aquariums. For the angler it is bottom fishing from rocky shores and boats over the rocks, at dusk and at night, with natural bait.
fun facts
The molar-like teeth on the sides of the jaw serve to crush crustaceans.
Juveniles enter rocky tide pools, where they are protected.
FishBase also lists it as a public aquarium fish.
how to recognize it
identification
High, compressed body, with a slightly sloping, somewhat convex head profile, a projecting snout, a long tubular front nostril, a preopercle with a deep notch, and molar-like side teeth. Greenish-brown to silvery-gray back, pinkish belly, with about six to eight blue-brown bars on the flanks and dark specks on the snout, head and nape; fins gray to reddish-brown. Juveniles have dark bars in pairs and a dark spot at the end of the base of the dorsal. The combination of vertical bars, projecting snout and molar teeth sets it apart from the other snappers of the region.
Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific: from Mexico (Gulf of California) to Ecuador, with Revillagigedo, Galápagos, Malpelo and Cocos.
Habitat: Rocky bottoms near coral reefs and rocky reefs, from a few meters to 50 m; juveniles in rocky tide pools.
calendar and clock
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: May–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Fished all year. In the Gulf of California and along the Mexican Pacific coast, summer and early autumn, with warm water, are usually better.
best time of day
Night and twilight. Nocturnal predator: it spends the day sheltered in the rocky reefs and comes out at dusk and at night to hunt crustaceans and small fish.
weather, water and behavior
what affects the mexican barred snapper
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Cold upwelling water keeps the fish holed up in its dens.
atmospheric pressure
Little direct effect; a front with a churned-up sea hinders rocky-shore and bottom fishing.
moon
Since it hunts at night, the moon phase and its path across the sky change its activity.
rain
Little effect.
water level
Not applicable at sea.
noise
Knocks on the rock and engine noise near the dens scare fish; at night the fish is more confident.
wind
Strong wind and a churned-up sea hinder rocky-shore fishing.
tide
Moderate current along the rocks carries food to the dens and gets the fish going.
5000 to 6000 spinning reel or small conventional reel with strong drag
line
braid 30 to 50 lb
leader
fluorocarbon 40 to 60 lb, 1 m
hook
circle 3/0 to 6/0, reinforced wire
lures
metal jig 60 to 150 g
large jig head with shad
natural baits
large shrimp
caranguejo
lula
fish pieces
accessories
sinker 60 to 150 g
headlamp
alicate
descender (fish descender)
tip from an angler
Fish at dusk and at night, with crustacean bait on the bottom near the dens, and hold firm: the coconaco snapper runs back to the rock fast and can cut the line in the crevices.
what the law says
rules for the mexican barred 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: Of little concern globally, in an old assessment. We did not check national assessments in the countries on the entry.
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
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 coconaco snapper 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
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).
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
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.
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.
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.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh. White, firm flesh, typical of snappers: fried whole, baked or in ceviche.
calculator
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01479, b = 2.96; 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
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.
scientificFishBase: Hoplopagrus guentherii (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 around FishBase's common length (50 cm).
officialDOF: 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.
pressAgenda 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.
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.
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:
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