Saltwater · Year-round on eastern Pacific reefs; most abundant around offshore islands

Blue-striped Snapper

Lutjanus viridis

The smallest Pacific snapper, unmistakable in bright yellow with five blue-white stripes. It schools over rocky and coral reefs and matters mainly to local subsistence fisheries — and as a reef sight, not a sport target.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Blue-striped Snapper — Photo: LASZLO ILYES from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, CC BY 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Brilliant yellow body and fins — the brightest Pacific snapper
Five black-edged, bluish-white horizontal stripes along the sides
Whitish belly crossed by narrow grey lines
Small adult size — maximum only about 30 cm
Strong preopercular notch and knob, typical of Lutjanus

Habits

Lives in large schools over rocky and coral reefs, usually at 9-15 m within a 0-60 m range
Particularly abundant at offshore islands — Revillagigedo, Cocos, Malpelo and Galápagos
Discontinuous coastal distribution from southern Baja and the Gulf of California mouth to Peru
A plankton-and-small-prey feeder taken mainly by local subsistence fisheries

Distribution

Mazatlán & the Mainland Pacific Coast · Sinaloa to Oaxaca★ Primary

Pacific Coast, Costa Rica · Costa Rica★ Primary

Baja California Pacific Coast · Baja California & Baja California SurCommon

Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) · Baja California Sur, Sonora & SinaloaCommon

Pacific Coast, Guatemala · GuatemalaCommon

Panama — Pacific, Canal & Caribbean · PanamaCommon

Where to find them

Rocky reef tops at 9-15 m around offshore islands
Inshore rocky reefs off mainland Mexico and Costa Rica
Reef edges where yellow schools hover in the current

Where they live

Rocky reefsCoral reefsOffshore island reefs

How to catch them

Micro-bait reef fishing Boat

Rig: Ultralight spinning outfit, size 6-8 hook on a light dropper rig

Bait/lure: Tiny shrimp or squid pieces

Key tip: Fish directly over reef where the yellow schools hold at 9-15 m; baits must be tiny for this small-mouthed fish.

Light jigging from rocks Rock fishing

Rig: Light rod with a small metal jig or jig head

Bait/lure: Micro jig or small soft plastic

Key tip: Cast to reef edges off rocky points and retrieve slowly through the school; expect small fish and release most.

Best baits & lures

Tiny shrimp piecesSmall cut squidMicro jigs

Techniques for Blue-striped Snapper →

Baseline setup

Rod: Ultralight-light 6'6" spinning rod
Line: 6-10 lb braid or mono
Terminal: Size 6-8 hooks, micro jigs, light leader

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

7'6" medium-heavy jigging rod

≈ US$110-170

Works 2-6 oz jigs over rock and reef and still has the backbone to lift a halibut off the bottom.

Line · Budget

50 lb braid with 40 lb leader (200 yd)

≈ US$25-40

Thin braid cuts the current so jigs stay vertical; the leader shrugs off rock and teeth.

Terminal · Budget

Leadhead jigs, swimbaits and two-hook bottom rigs

≈ US$25-40

A leadhead with a swimbait tail is the universal bottom-fish catcher, from rockfish to cod to flounder.

Picks are never paid placements. Prices are guides; price links are coming soon and none is an affiliate link yet.

Typical size

Common 20-25 cm; maximum 30 cm — the smallest member of the snapper family in the region

On the table

Eaten locally where caught, but very small; most visiting anglers release it and admire the school instead.

Similar species

Golden SnapperGolden snapper is the same size class and region but plain gold-brown with no stripes at all

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

Plan a trip for Blue-striped Snapper

Build today's plan

⚠ Heads-up: Blue-striped Snapper doesn't occur around Vancouver, BC (or is very rare there), so it's not a sensible local target. Your plan stays in Vancouver, BC and is built around the fish that actually live there.