Photo: Greg Cagle · Aug 2018
White Seabass
Corvina cabaicucho · also Corvina blanca
Atractoscion nobilis · Sciaenidae
- Category
- Corvina & Croaker
- Found in
- Pacific Baja, Sea of Cortez
- IUCN status
- Least Concern
- Mexico fish counts
- 367 counted, 1 so far in 2026
About White Seabass in Mexico
How to recognize it
White seabass are the largest croaker on the Pacific coast, with a long, streamlined body that is blue-gray to bronze on top and silvery below, often with faint dark speckling. A raised ridge runs along the center of the belly, and the lower jaw projects slightly. Small fish carry dark vertical bars that fade with age. The look is sleeker than a corvina's, and the tail is nearly straight-edged.
Where and when in Mexico
Called corvina blanca by Baja anglers and officially corvina cabaicucho, it lives along Baja's Pacific coast and in the northern Sea of Cortez. Pacific-side fish turn up in kelp beds and around the Coronado Islands, Todos Santos and down to San Quintín and Bahía Magdalena, typically from spring into summer. In the upper gulf, big schools gather around San Felipe and Puertecitos in late winter and spring. Most of the white seabass in Mexico Fish Reports' counts came from San Felipe in 2006–2009, with fewer from Ensenada.
How it's fished
Live squid is the top bait, especially at night when squid are spawning near the kelp. Slow-trolled or fly-lined sardines and mackerel also produce, and heavy iron jigs or large swimbaits work when fish are feeding near the bottom. In the Sea of Cortez, anglers fish from pangas over rocky reefs, often during tide changes.
Good to know
Fish commonly run 15 to 40 pounds, with larger ones possible. The meat is firm and mild, considered one of the best on the coast. Hooks pull easily from the soft mouth, so steady pressure matters.
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 White Seabass are caught in Mexico
- San Felipe 281 counted · last Oct 2009
- Ensenada 86 counted · last Jun 2026
Fish counts by year
| Year | Kept | Released | Trips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (so far) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 | 25 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | 14 | 0 | 4 |
| 2009 | 18 | 0 | 3 |
| 2007 | 85 | 0 | 17 |
| 2006 | 221 | 0 | 19 |
From fish counts posted by the Mexican landings on Mexico Fish Reports. Years with no posted counts are not shown.
Boats catching White Seabass (2025–2026)
- Sammy Ensenada 1 counted on 1 trip
- Ultimate (MX) Ensenada 1 counted on 1 trip
Recent White Seabass reports
What an incredible week at Isla De Cedros with Cedros Sportfishing! The “Fish of the Week” (or a lifetime!) goes to our friend and neighbor, Barry Resetco. He hooked up…
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