Eastern Pacific snapper, with a pointed snout, dark olive-green back and purplish flanks with rows of silvery spots. Lives over hard bottoms and forms schools near the surface at Cocos Island.
Also called: pargo-de-Jordan, Jordan's snapper, whipper snapper, huachinango
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
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.
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 jordan's snapper
overview
who is the jordan's snapper
Eastern Pacific snapper: from Mexico to Peru, with the Cocos, Galápagos and Malpelo islands. Adults live on hard bottoms over coastal reefs, from 0 to 50 m and usually 40 to 50 m; STRI says they also go to deeper trawling grounds (down to 200 m) and to shallow mangrove bays. At Cocos Island, Costa Rica, they form schools in surface waters. They eat invertebrates and fish. Reaches 60 cm. It has a commercial fishery, and FishBase lists it as a sport fish. For the angler it is a bottom and midwater snapper, caught from a boat with natural bait and jigs over rocks and shoals. In Costa Rica, the name pargo seda also applies to the Pacific red snapper (Lutjanus peru).
fun facts
At Cocos Island, Costa Rica, it forms schools in surface waters (FishBase).
The freshly caught fish shows silver spots in rows that vanish soon after, leaving it almost black (STRI).
In Costa Rica the name pargo seda is also used for the Pacific red snapper, a different species.
how to recognize it
identification
Pointed head, somewhat angular forehead profile, broad preorbital bone and maxilla reaching almost to the middle of the eye; notch and knob of the preopercle well marked. The dorsal has 10 spines and 14 soft rays, and the anal has 3 spines and 9 soft rays; the rows of scales on the back run parallel to the lateral line. The color runs from gray to dark olive and reddish, with silvery sheen below; freshly caught fish show whitish-silver spots in longitudinal rows, which fade and leave the body dark brown to nearly black. The raicero snapper (Lutjanus aratus) is the most similar: it has light and dark stripes on the flank and a less pointed head.
Does not occur in Brazil. Eastern Pacific: from Mexico (central Baja California, according to STRI) to northern Peru, including the Cocos, Galápagos and Malpelo islands.
Habitat: Hard bottoms on coastal reefs, from 0 to 50 m; also deeper trawling grounds and shallow mangrove bays.
calendar and clock
when to fish
best season
time of yearbest: Apr–Oct
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Fished all year. Clear water and moderate current over the rock matter more than the month.
best time of day
Dawn and dusk. Bites well at dawn, at dusk and at night; by day, on the bottom, with natural bait and a slow jig. No specific feeding-time study.
weather, water and behavior
what affects the jordan's 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 shuts down activity.
atmospheric pressure
A front with the sea turning rough hampers bottom fishing.
moon
Strong moons move more water over the rocks.
rain
Little effect on the bottom.
water level
Not applicable at sea.
noise
Anchor upstream of the rock and let the bait drift down; noise over the school spooks it.
wind
Strong wind makes it hard to keep the boat over the rock.
tide
Moderate current is best.
depth
From 30 to 50 m over rocks and shoals, and deeper on trawling grounds.
4000 to 5000 spinning reel or small conventional reel
line
braid 30 to 40 lb
leader
fluorocarbon 40 to 60 lb, 1 m
hook
circle 3/0 to 5/0
lures
metal jig 60 to 150 g
jig head with shad
slow jig
natural baits
squid strips
sardine fillet
shrimp
accessories
sinker 80 to 200 g
descender (fish descender)
alicate
tip from an angler
Look for rocks at 30 to 50 m and keep the bait close to the bottom. At Cocos Island, where schools rise to the surface, fishing is prohibited.
what the law says
rules for the jordan's 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. In Costa Rica, the 34 cm minimum size from Incopesca applies to the pargo seda (Lutjanus peru); this species is not on the table.
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. Jordan's 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.
Costa Rica: sport fishing prohibited in national parks (Cocos Island)
Prohibited in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Law (Law 8436) prohibits commercial and sport fishing in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves. Cocos Island, where this species occurs, is a national park. Anyone who authorizes or carries out fishing in these areas faces a fine of twenty to sixty base salaries and loses the license (art. 153).
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 pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). 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: Lutjanus jordani (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, since FishBase gives no common length. STRI cites 61 cm and a depth of 0 to 200 m; the entry keeps 60 cm and FishBase's usual range.
scientificIUCN Red List: Lutjanus jordani (avaliação global)Least Concern (LC), assessed May 23, 2007. Assessment checked in the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2); the species' Red List link was not opened.
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.
officialCosta Rica: Ley 8436, Ley de Pesca y AcuiculturaText read in the FAOLEX copy: art. 9 (prohibits commercial and sport fishing in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves) and art. 153 (fine and license cancellation).
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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