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fishing forecast

walleye surfperch

Hyperprosopon argenteum · Embiotocidae · predator

Silvery surfperch of sandy beaches and the surf zone of the Mexican Pacific. It is an important species for beach sport fishing in the region.

Also called: perca-olhuda, mojarra ojona, walleye surfperch

Scientific illustration of Walleye surfperch
maximum
30 cm
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the walleye surfperch

overview

who is the walleye surfperch

Surfperch of the family Embiotocidae, with a dark blue back and silvery sides and belly. The young have narrow golden vertical bands. It reaches 30 cm and is viviparous: the female carries the young, usually 5 to 12 at a time. It lives in the surf zone of sandy beaches and near rocks and piers, down to 18 m deep, in dense schools. It eats small crustaceans. It is caught often and is an important species for sport fishing.

Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the walleye surfperch; in the meantime, see the similar species.

how to recognize it

identification

Surfperch with a dark blue back, silvery sides and belly, and black tips to the pelvic fins. The young have golden vertical bands. The edge of the tail is also darkened. On the same beach, the calico surfperch (Amphistichus koelzi) has brown spots on the flanks that form bands, and reddish fins.

distribution

where found

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From Vancouver Island, in Canada, to central Baja California, including Guadalupe Island; in Latin America, only in Mexico, on sandy beaches and near piers.

Habitat: Surf zone of sandy beaches, near rocks and piers, down to 18 m deep.

what the law says

rules for the walleye surfperch

Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. 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.

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.

No recorded danger to anglers. It is caught from the beach and the pier, so watch for waves and rocks.

calculator

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0195, b = 2.97; 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

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: Hyperprosopon argenteum (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 Hyperprosopon argenteumNames by country and language.
don't confuse

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