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Illustration of Spotted ratfish
fishing forecast

spotted ratfish

Hydrolagus colliei · full profile

location

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the species

everything about the spotted ratfish

how to recognize it

Short, rounded snout, no anal fin, and an almost symmetrical tail. The body is brown or reddish-brown, with small white spots on the head and trunk. The spine in front of the dorsal fin has a smooth edge, without serrations. It lives in the northeastern Pacific, from Alaska to Baja California.

Also called: peixe-rato-manchado, quimera manchada, ratón, spotted ratfish

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

Where to look: Bottom from near the coast down to 913 meters, most common between 50 and 400 meters deep.

Northeastern Pacific, from the southwestern coast of Alaska to Baja California, in Mexico, including the Gulf of California and Costa Rica. It does not occur in Brazil.

rules for the spotted ratfish

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 = 0.00331, b = 3.07; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the spotted ratfish

The spotted ratfish is a chimaera of the family Chimaeridae, with an elongated body and a brown or reddish-brown color, with small white spots. It reaches 100 cm. It lives near the bottom, from near the coast down to 913 m, most common between 50 and 400 m. It feeds on mollusks, crustaceans and fish. It is oviparous: the female lays two eggs at a time, each inside a capsule. It has a dorsal spine that can cause a painful wound. Its meat is edible but flavorless, and fishing for it has no commercial interest.

Family: Chimaeridae · predator

fun facts

  • Fishers say they fear the jaws more than the dorsal spine.
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: Hydrolagus colliei (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 Hydrolagus collieiNames by country and language.