red porgy
Pagrus pagrus · Sparidae · predator
The red porgy (pargo) of the subtropical waters of the Southeast and South, pink and with strong teeth. A noble fish of the submerged reefs, with a stock that collapsed in the 1980s.
Also called: pargo-rosa, pargo, pargo-róseo, pargo-olho-de-vidro, pagro
- common size
- 25–45 cm
- maximum
- 91 cm
- common weight
- 0.3–2 kg
- record/max.
- 7.7 kg
- depth
- 10–150 m
- ideal water
- 15–22 °C
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 red porgy
who is the red porgy
The red porgy is a pinkish sparid with an oval body and a convex head profile, living on rock, gravel, and sand bottoms of the shelf, usually 10 to 80 m, but down to 250 m. In the western Atlantic it ranges from the United States to Argentina; in Brazil it is most common from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul. It eats crustaceans, fish, and mollusks, which it crushes with its teeth. It was one of the main targets of line and trawl fishing in southern Brazil, and the stock collapsed in the 1980s. Today it is a prized fish in recreational boat fishing over submerged reefs and wrecks, with squid, shrimp, and sardine and with light jigs. It can live more than 20 years.
fun facts
- Can live more than 20 years.
- It has canine teeth at the front and molars at the back, for crushing shells.
identification
Oval, moderately deep body, pink with silvery reflections and a paler belly; small bluish spots on the scales of the back. Strong canine teeth at the front of the jaws and molars at the back. Dorsal fin with 12 spines. Differs from the pargo do Norte e do Nordeste (Lutjanus purpureus), a red snapper with a larger mouth and no molars, and from the sargo-de-dente, which is gray with dark bands.
where found
From Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul, most common from Rio de Janeiro southward; continuing to Uruguay and Argentina.
Habitat: Rock, gravel, and sand bottoms, submerged reefs, and wrecks on the shelf; juveniles in shallower bottoms.
coast
states
Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul
famous destinations
when to fish
best season
Fished all year on the submerged reefs of the Southeast and South.
best time of day
Daytime. Feeds by day, especially with moderate current over the submerged reef.
what affects the red porgy
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Tolerates cold water; strong upwelling can leave it inactive.
atmospheric pressure
A cold front brings rough seas and reduces biting.
moon
Small effect.
rain
Not very sensitive.
water level
Does not depend on water level.
noise
Not very sensitive at depth.
wind
Strong wind prevents staying over the submerged reef.
tide
Moderate current is best.
depth
20 to 80 m for most fishing.
how to fish
- rod
- 6'0" to 7'0", 15 to 30 lb
- spinning / baitcasting reel
- 4000 to 6000 spinning reel or baitcaster
- line
- braid 20 to 30 lb
- leader
- fluorocarbon 30 to 40 lb
- hook
- circle 1/0 to 4/0
lures
- 60 to 200 g slow pitch jigs
- shads on jig heads
natural baits
- lula
- shrimp
- sardinha
accessories
- 100 to 300 g sinker
- descompressor
tip from an angler
Use a two-hook rig with squid and shrimp; the red porgy often stays in small groups.
rules for the red porgy
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: Not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). The stock in southern Brazil collapsed in the 1980s (Haimovici et al., 2020). We have not found a specific federal rule for this species.
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.
If it comes from more than 30 m, use a descending device. Release the small ones quickly.
in the kitchen
White, firm, tasty flesh; excellent baked whole and grilled.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01318, b = 3.02; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). 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.
- scientific FishBase — Pagrus pagrus (ficha da espécie)Names, distribution, biology, length-weight relationship and references. Page checked on October 13, 2026.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026 — Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)Most recent national list. The species is not on it (search by scientific name in the text published in the DOU, checked on October 13, 2026).
- official ICMBio/SALVE — Ficha de Pagrus pagrus (avaliação nacional do risco de extinção)ICMBio national assessment, published in 2025. DOI checked on Crossref.
- scientific IUCN Red List — Pagrus pagrus (avaliação global: Pouco Preocupante, LC, 17/08/2009)Global assessment. Link given on the FishBase entry (Red List, version 2025-2).
- scientific Carpenter, K. E. (org.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Roma: FAO.Sparidae chapter (Carpenter, K. E.), cited by FishBase for the species.
- scientific Haimovici, M.; Kikuchi, E.; Cardoso, L. G.; Moralles, R. (2020). The population dynamics of the red porgy Pagrus pagrus along southern Brazil, before its fishery collapse in the 1980s: a baseline study. Aquatic Living Resources 33: 10.Population dynamics and stock collapse in southern Brazil. Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase, which cites this work for the species.
- scientific Cousseau, M. B.; Perrotta, R. G. (1998). Peces marinos de Argentina: biología, distribución, pesca. Mar del Plata: INIDEP. 163 p.Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record on FishBase, which cites this work for the species.
- scientific Menezes, N. A.; Buckup, P. A.; Figueiredo, J. L.; Moura, R. L. (orgs.) (2003). Catálogo das espécies de peixes marinhos do Brasil. São Paulo: Museu de Zoologia da USP. 160 p.List of marine species recorded in Brazil. Printed work; the URL is the bibliographic record in FishBase, which cites this work for the species.
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: