Saltwater · Year-round in Costa Rica and Panama, a regular small-corvina catch in the Gulf of Nicoya.

Scalyfin Corvina

Cynoscion squamipinnis

A small eastern Pacific corvina called corvina aguada in Costa Rica, common in shallow coastal water and estuaries from the Gulf of California to Peru and a staple of the Gulf of Nicoya artisanal fishery.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Identifying features

Soft dorsal and anal fins mostly covered by a scaly sheath — the key character
Body scales rough to the touch
Silvery, greyish on the back; inside of mouth yellow-orange, pectoral-fin axil dark
Tip of the caudal fin blackish; tail angular with the middle rays longest
Lower jaw projecting, with a pair of large canines at the tip of the upper jaw

Habits

Adults in coastal water along shores and in estuaries, not deep water
Feeds on fishes, shrimps and other crustaceans
One of the small corvinas dominating Gulf of Nicoya catches
Short-lived, reported lifespan only about 2-3 years

Distribution

Pacific Coast, Costa Rica · Costa Rica★ Primary

Panama — Pacific, Canal & Caribbean · Panama★ Primary

Mazatlán & the Mainland Pacific Coast · Sinaloa to OaxacaCommon

Pacific Coast, Guatemala · GuatemalaCommon

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

Where to find them

Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica — inner and outer gulf
Estuaries and shallow bays of Pacific Panama
Coastal water off El Salvador and Guatemala

Where they live

Shallow coastal water 1-30 mShores and estuariesSand and mixed bottoms

How to catch them

Bottom fishing with natural bait Boat

Rig: Two-hook paternoster or Carolina rig with 1-3 oz sinker

Bait/lure: Live or fresh shrimp

Key tip: Keep the bait on the bottom over sand or mud and wait for the soft, tapping bite.

Bottom fishing with natural bait from shore Shore

Rig: Two-hook paternoster or Carolina rig with 1-3 oz sinker

Bait/lure: Live or fresh shrimp

Key tip: Keep the bait on the bottom over sand or mud and wait for the soft, tapping bite.

Best baits & lures

Fresh shrimpCut fishSmall live baitfish

Techniques for Scalyfin Corvina →

Baseline setup

Rod: Light to medium spinning rod 7-8 ft
Line: 10-20 lb braid with 20 lb fluorocarbon leader
Terminal: Size 1 to 2/0 circle or J hooks, 1-3 oz sinker

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

Up to about 64-65 cm and about 3 kg; commonly around 40 cm.

On the table

Fine, firm flesh; a valued local food fish, good steamed, fried or in soups.

Similar species

Stolzmann's WeakfishStolzmann's grows far larger (to 115 cm) with a yellowish tail and lacks the fully scaled soft dorsal/anal fins.

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 Scalyfin Corvina

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⚠ Heads-up: Scalyfin Corvina 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.