Fish

Pacific dog snapper (pargo prieto)

Pargo prieto (pargo negro, pargo dientón)

Lutjanus novemfasciatus

SaltwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

10–40 lb.

Depth

5–200 ft.

Best time

Dawn, dusk and night.

Found in

6 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Big, heavy snapper, dark reddish-brown to gray, with faint dark bars on young fish and huge canine teeth in the upper jaw that show when the mouth is closed.
Typical size: 10–40 lb.
Maximum size: Over 5 ft and close to 80 lb.
Diet: Fish, crabs, lobster and octopus.
Behavior: Lives in caves and boulder piles; when hooked it dives straight back into the rocks.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Baja & Sea of Cortez, Pacific Mexico, Pacific Central America, Pacific Colombia & Ecuador, Peru and Galápagos Islands. Rocky reefs, boulder shores and mangrove channels from Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru; young fish live in mangroves.
Habitat: Rocky reefs, boulder shores and mangrove channels from Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru; young fish live in mangroves.
Depth: 5–200 ft.
Fishing depth: 10–60 ft over rocks.
Best season: Summer and fall in the Sea of Cortez; all year farther south.
Best time: Dawn, dusk and night.
Best tides: Moving tide.
Best weather / conditions: Calm weather.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Live mackerel, mullet, sardines and big live baits.
Best artificial lures: Heavy jigs, big swimbaits and poppers near the rocks.
Tackle setup: Heavy rod (50–80 lb class).
Hook size: 6/0–9/0.
Line: 65–100 lb braid.
Leader: 80–130 lb fluorocarbon or mono.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Leader Hooks Jigs

As an Amazon Associate, BigJoe earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep this guide free.

Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Rocky reefs, boulder shores and mangrove channels from Baja California and the Gulf of California to Peru; young fish live in mangroves.
Rig up: Heavy rod (50–80 lb class). 80–130 lb fluorocarbon or mono.
Pick your bait: Live mackerel, mullet, sardines and big live baits. Lures: Heavy jigs, big swimbaits and poppers near the rocks.
Fish it: Fish a big live bait right over the rocks with the drag locked down, and pull it away from the cave the moment it eats.
Time it: Dawn, dusk and night. Moving tide.

Fishing techniques: Fish a big live bait right over the rocks with the drag locked down, and pull it away from the cave the moment it eats.
BigJoe's tip: You have about two seconds to turn a big pargo before it reaches its cave.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Firm white meat; excellent grilled or fried whole.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Huge canine teeth — never lip it. Big reef fish from some areas can carry ciguatera; ask locally.
Regulations: General bag limits; check local rules. Rules vary by country: Mexico requires a CONAPESCA sport fishing license for everyone aboard a fishing boat, Costa Rica requires an INCOPESCA license, and Panama, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru set their own rules. Many islands and coasts (Coiba, Isla del Coco, Malpelo, Gorgona, the Galápagos and others) are marine parks with strict limits or no fishing.
Conservation: Big old fish are slow to replace; release the giants.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits