Species Spotlight: Cabrilla

Cabrilla is one of the most challenging inshore species for anglers. Perhaps the hardest-hitting fish in existence, their raw strength and powerful runs make them challenging to land. The thrill of catching a cabrilla always keeps anglers coming back for more.

Overview

Cabrilla is the common name for several Mexican fish species. The most targeted of these is the leopard grouper (Mycteroperca rosacea) and, to a lesser degree, the spotted cabrilla (Epinephelus analogus). Known for their toughness and forcible runs, they are exceedingly difficult to pull out of the rocky bottom structures and shorelines where they live. And to top it off, they’re incredible on the table.

They inhabit Mexican waters in the Pacific Ocean from Magdalena Bay south to Cabo San Lucas and along both coasts of the Sea of Cortez. Like other types of groupers, they populate areas with rough underwater terrain.