Spotted Cabrilla
Cabrilla pinta
Epinephelus analogus · Epinephelidae
- Category
- Grouper & Cabrilla
- Found in
- Pacific Baja, Sea of Cortez, Pacific Mainland
- IUCN status
- Least Concern
- Mexico fish counts
- 10,620 counted
About Spotted Cabrilla in Mexico
How to recognize it
A heavy-bodied grouper with a pale tan to olive base color thickly peppered with reddish-brown spots, and several faint darker bars that can come and go depending on mood. The tail is rounded and the head broad. Leopard grouper shares much of its range, but it is slimmer, with smaller, darker spots and a squarer tail, while the gulf grouper is far larger and plainer.
Where and when in Mexico
Cabrilla pinta lives on inshore rocky reefs, boulder fields and around islands, from the Pacific side of southern Baja through the entire Sea of Cortez and down the mainland coast. The upper Gulf is a stronghold: from 2006 to 2009 San Felipe boats counted more than ten thousand spotted cabrilla in Mexico Fish Reports' records, making it one of that landing's signature fish. Rocks near Puertecitos, Roca Consag and the Islas Encantadas are traditional grounds. Farther south, it is a regular catch at Bahía de los Ángeles, Loreto and La Paz. Fish are caught year-round, with the warmer months generally busiest. Most weigh 2–8 pounds, though larger fish turn up.
How it's fished
Panga crews anchor or drift over rocky bottom and drop squid, cut mackerel or live bait on dropper loops. Leadhead jigs and yo-yo iron work well, as do deep-diving plugs trolled slowly over shallow reefs. Strong line and a firm hand are needed to keep fish out of the rocks.
Good to know
The white, flaky fillets are prized in Baja fish tacos. Spotted cabrilla are slow-growing, so moderation pays off.
Fishing rules in Mexico
- General limit: 10 fish per angler per day, max 5 of one species
Source: NOM-017-PESC-1994 §4.9.1 (2013 mod.). Rules change; confirm current limits, seasons and permits with CONAPESCA before you fish.
Where Spotted Cabrilla are caught in Mexico
- San Felipe 10,620 counted · last Oct 2009
Fish counts by year
| Year | Kept | Released | Trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1,467 | 0 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4,940 | 0 | 34 |
| 2006 | 4,213 | 0 | 37 |
From fish counts posted by the Mexican landings on Mexico Fish Reports. Years with no posted counts are not shown.
