Saltwater · Year-round on Caribbean reefs; best in warm, calm months.
Pluma Porgy
Calamus pennatula
A Caribbean reef porgy, close to the saucereye but with a gentler head profile and smaller eye. It feeds over reef and sand on small shellfish and crustaceans.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Silvery body with blue-grey markings on the head; head profile less steep than saucereye, eye noticeably smaller
- Fins are silvery
- Deep, laterally compressed body typical of its family
- Strong jaws with incisor-like front teeth and molar-like side teeth for crushing shellfish
- Up to 37 cm; commonly 25-30 cm and around or under 1 kg.
Habits
- Lives over coral reef and rocky bottom, feeding close to the seabed
- Crushes molluscs, crabs and other hard-shelled invertebrates with strong jaws
- Usually solitary or in small loose groups rather than dense schools
Distribution
Where to find them
- Caribbean patch reefs off Belize, Cuba and Puerto Rico
- Reef edges in the Bahamas
- Florida Keys reefs, where it is less common than saucereye
Where they live
How to catch them
Reef bottom fishing Boat
Rig: Fish-finder / knocker rig: egg sinker above a swivel, 30-60 cm fluorocarbon leader, #1-1/0 circle hook
Bait/lure: Small pieces of shrimp or squid
Key tip: Anchor up-current of a patch reef, keep the bait tight to the bottom and reel steadily on the bite instead of striking hard.
Small jig tipped with bait Boat
Rig: 6-12 g bucktail or micro jig on 20-30 lb leader
Bait/lure: Jig tipped with a small piece of shrimp
Key tip: Work the jig slowly along reef edges and sandy pockets with long pauses; most bites come as it settles.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Light to medium spinning rod 2.1-2.4 m
- Line: 10-20 lb braid or mono main line
- Terminal: 20-30 lb fluorocarbon leader, #2-1/0 circle hooks, egg or pyramid sinkers to hold bottom
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 big bottom fish 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 on rock, reef and sand.
Picks are never paid placements. Prices are guides; price links are coming soon and none is an affiliate link yet.
Typical size
Up to 37 cm; commonly 25-30 cm and around or under 1 kg.
On the table
Good small food fish; follow local ciguatera advice for Caribbean reef fish.
Similar species
Saucereye PorgySaucereye porgy grows larger, is deeper-bodied and has a much larger eye; pluma porgy's head profile is gentler and its eye smaller.
Littlehead PorgyLittlehead porgy has a pronounced hump before the dorsal fin and wavy dark-blue lines uniting along the scale rows; pluma lacks the strong hump.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 Pluma Porgy
Build today's plan⚠ Heads-up: Pluma Porgy 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.