BajaNomad

Fish ID

BeachSeeker - 1-5-2024 at 08:36 PM

Can anyone ID this fish? Never caught these in Baja before. Near Gonzaga bay. Wide open, every cast, up to about 2-3lb. Thanks!

4658FF70-2882-4129-8D70-BBD486CCAA9B.jpeg - 115kB

BeachSeeker - 1-5-2024 at 08:38 PM

For some reason the picture got distorted. I’ll try to fix it.

Hook - 1-5-2024 at 09:16 PM

Looks like some type of pompano; possibly a young blackblotch pompano.

Bwana_John - 1-5-2024 at 09:49 PM

Everything looks like Paloma Pompano… except for the mouth, appears too big.

LA POMA?


[Edited on 1-6-2024 by Bwana_John]

BeachSeeker - 1-5-2024 at 10:24 PM

Longjaw Leatherjack maybe? Caught between La Poma and Papa Fernandez.

David K - 1-6-2024 at 08:41 AM

Great new Fish I.D. page, expanded from Gene Kira's work: https://mexican-fish.com/

A Longjaw Leatherjack, from these photos: https://mexican-fish.com/longjaw-leatherjack/

*Edited after the corrected photo post




[Edited on 1-7-2024 by David K]

mtgoat666 - 1-6-2024 at 10:35 AM

Some kind of jack fish.
Show pic to a local fisherman and they can tell you the local name for it.

The photo at correct proportions

David K - 1-6-2024 at 12:17 PM

RFClark - 1-6-2024 at 11:07 PM

It looks like a Longjaw Leatherjack

[Edited on 1-7-2024 by RFClark]

baja-chris - 1-6-2024 at 11:32 PM

I thought every fish in Baja was a Corvina, except in the restaurants where Corvina becomes whatever is in vouge such as red snapper.
So the answer is Corvina, and that is always the answer for every fish.
Just joking of course, but it does seem that way at times.

Russ - 1-7-2024 at 08:11 AM

2x Leatherjack . watch the spiny fins they will hurt you for a long while. But they do taste okay

mtgoat666 - 1-7-2024 at 09:45 AM

From mexfish:

The Longjaw Leatherjack, Oligoplites altus, is a member of the Jack or Carangidae Family, and is known in Mexico as piña bocona.

The Longjaw Leatherjack is a pelagic schooling species found inshore and in estuaries over sandy bottoms at depths up to 30 m (100 feet). They reach a maximum length of 56 cm (22 inches). As of March 31, 2022, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 1.58 kg (3 lbs 8 oz) with the fish caught from coastal waters off Costa Rica in February 1990.

The Longjaw Leatherjack is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Pacific with the exception that they are absent from Guerrero Negro, Baja California, northward along the central and northwest coasts of Baja. They are very common in the upper Sea of Cortez.

The Longjaw Leatherjack can be easily confused with the Shortjaw Leatherjack, Oligoplites refulgens (more aerodynamic; jaw only extends to pupils) and the Leatherjack, Oligoplites saurus (long jaw; clear anal and dorsal fins; yellow caudal fin).

The Leatherjack, Oligoplites saurus is known in Mexico as piña sietecueros

Why “piña?”

[Edited on 1-7-2024 by mtgoat666]

BeachSeeker - 1-7-2024 at 05:49 PM

I was surprised to read about the venomous spines. I got a couple pokes and a good slice from some of the dorsal spines. Didn’t feel anything worse than the poke/slice itself. Definitely not like a stingray or sculpin.

Never caught these before in Baja. Four of us were hooking up every single cast for about an hour. Left them biting. Only took 4 home for aguachile and tacos. Very tasty.

Russ - 1-8-2024 at 07:18 AM

Maybe not a leather jacket then cus the spines got me a couple times and it was about the same as a scorpion. OR the fish that got me wasn't one:?: Anyway tight lines....

[Edited on 1-8-2024 by Russ]

Russ - 1-8-2024 at 07:34 AM

I just found this article that is discriptive and mentions the sting at the end. https://mexican-fish.com/longjaw-leatherjack/
I looked at you tube and found many different looking fish called leather jacket. Here is a video of our fish (? ) that shows the pain of the sting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B5SNTysKKM

[Edited on 1-8-2024 by Russ]

BeachSeeker - 1-8-2024 at 08:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Russ  
I just found this article that is discriptive and mentions the sting at the end. https://mexican-fish.com/longjaw-leatherjack/
I looked at you tube and found many different looking fish called leather jacket. Here is a video of our fish (? ) that shows the pain of the sting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B5SNTysKKM

[Edited on 1-8-2024 by Russ]


That YouTube video appears to be a Oligoplites Saurus, which makes sense since the video is in Florida. The Oligoplites Altus is the Longjaw Leatherjack in Baja. They look a little different too.

I wonder if the Saurus is more venomous. My brother got poked once or twice as well and didn't feel any venom. They definitely had the 2 dorsal and anal spines and were super sharp.