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Illustration of Opaleye
fishing forecast

opaleye

Girella nigricans · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the opaleye

how to recognize it

Spindle-shaped body, typical of the family. No distinctive color or mark is recorded, so the habitat helps: it lives on rocky shores and kelp beds, often in the intertidal zone, where it may stay in pools. In spring it forms dense schools in kelp beds. It is resident, can leave tide pools when the water is poor, and breathes air out of the water.

Also called: peixe-olho-de-opala, chopa verde, opaleye

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

Where to look: Intertidal zone, rocky shores and kelp beds, down to 30 m.

In Latin America, only in Mexico, in southern Baja California. The species occurs from San Francisco, in the United States.

rules for the opaleye

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 = 0.01698, b = 3.15; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the opaleye

The opaleye belongs to the family Girellidae and reaches 66 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from San Francisco, in the United States, to southern Baja California, in Mexico, on rocky shores and kelp beds, in the intertidal zone and down to 30 m. It is a resident fish that always returns to the same place. It feeds mainly on algae and sometimes on invertebrates. In spring it forms dense schools in kelp beds, and it spawns in the water column. It is considered an important sport fish and is also sold fresh.

Family: Girellidae · omnivore

fun facts

  • Always returns to the same place, and may leave tide pools when the water is poor.

in the kitchen

Sold fresh in markets.

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: Girella nigricans (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 Girella nigricansNames by country and language.