Saltwater · Year-round; most common off Baja and in southern California bays

Fantail Sole

Xystreurys liolepis

A large Pacific sand flounder from Monterey Bay to the Gulf of California, named for its broad fan-shaped tail, most abundant off Baja California and a prized incidental catch on small crustacean baits.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Fantail Sole — Photo: California. Dept. of Fish and Game; California. Fish and Game Commission; California. Division of Fish and Game, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Broad, fan-shaped tail fin — the namesake mark
Smooth scales; body covered in small smooth scales
Eyes may be on the right or the left side in this species
Mottled brown sandy camouflage on the ocular side
Large mouth with visible teeth, a true large-tooth flounder

Habits

Usually buried in sand and mud bottoms
Feeds almost exclusively on crustaceans (FishBase)
Common length only about 25 cm despite a large maximum
Most abundant from Bahia Magdalena to Vizcaino Bay, Baja California

Distribution

Baja California Pacific Coast · Baja California & Baja California Sur★ Primary

San Diego, CA · CaliforniaCommon

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

San Francisco, CA · CaliforniaOccasional

Where to find them

Sand bottom beside eelgrass beds in bays
Pier and jetty sand in 20-60 ft
Open sand in 20-50 m off Baja beaches

Where they live

Sand and mud bottoms 5-79 mSandy spots among eelgrass and kelpBay and pier sand bottoms

How to catch them

Drifting sand bottoms with shrimp Boat

Rig: Two-hook spreader or dropper rig, size 2 hooks, 2 oz sinker on 10-15 lb line

Bait/lure: Shrimp, clam neck or mussel pieces

Key tip: Drift sand beside eelgrass and kelp; fantails sit buried, so cover ground slowly and keep baits on the bottom.

Pier fishing over sand Shore

Rig: Light spinning tackle, small dropper rig with size 2-4 hooks

Bait/lure: Ghost shrimp or clam pieces

Key tip: Southern California piers from Santa Barbara south take occasional fantails — fish the sandy spots, not the pilings themselves.

Best baits & lures

Shrimp and ghost shrimp piecesClam and mussel piecesSmall anchovy or herring chunks

Techniques for Fantail Sole →

Baseline setup

Rod: 7 ft medium-light spinning rod
Line: 10-15 lb mono or braid
Terminal: Size 2-4 hooks, 1-2 oz sinkers, dropper loops

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 about 25 cm; maximum 63.5 cm TL and 4.0 kg

On the table

Marketed fresh; firm white flesh, one of the better-eating Pacific flatfishes.

Similar species

Dusky FlounderDusky flounder is an Atlantic/Caribbean fish, smaller (to 30 cm) with a narrower tail; fantail sole is Pacific, larger, with a broad fan tail

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 Fantail Sole

Build today's plan

⚠ Heads-up: Fantail Sole 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.