Fish Identification Photos: Chihuil, Trachurus symmetricus: The Chihuil (chee-weel) is a member of the Carangidae or Jack Family and only member of the Trachurus Genus found in Mexican waters.

This fish, commonly referred to by tourist anglers as “Chiwilly,” "Chilly Willy," and other humorous names, is characterized by its long, slender shape, with long pectoral fins, a deeply forked tail, a strong lateral line, and a black spot at the top of the gill cover.

The Chihuil is gold colored on top, with white on its lower parts. It is similar in coloration to, and might be confused with the Mackerel Scad, Decapterus macarellus (short pectoral fins, very aerodynamic body) and the Rainbow Runner, Elagatis bipinnulata (torpedo shaped body, coloration banding, green, narrow light blue, olive, narrow blue, olive and white, and large forked tail) each of which are pelagic and found in all southern Mexican waters.

The Chihuil is pelagic and found out at sea on both the Pacific and Cortez sides of the Baja California peninsula and off mainland Mexico as far south as Mazatlan. It appears to be absent from the oceanic islands. The Chihuil is found in large schools which travel throughout the water column and have been reported to depths of up to 1,200 feet. The Chihuil is reported to reach 2.5 feet in length, but is most common around 2 feet.

It is viewed as a prized live bait which can sometimes be caught in abundance off the Inner Gordo Bank, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, during predawn, in mid-November, using a 10-pound test handline with size #8 treble hooks and small pieces of cut Bonito as bait. They survive in a panga bait tank well and are considered a prime bait and used to troll for Tuna, Dorado, Wahoo or the elusive Sailfish. They also show up on occasion when fishing with yo-yo iron or cut bait on the bottom. They are considered by locals to be an excellent food fish.

Chihuil, Trachurus symmetricus: Caught with Capt. Pata in the panga Salome, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, predawn in November 2001, in 77-degree, 10 to 15-foot deep water, utilizing a handline and size #6 treble hooks, baited with cut Bonito, on the Inner Gordo Bank, 10 miles northeast of La Playita. Size approximately 14 inches and 2 pounds. The Chihuil is a tuna and fights accordingly. A tricky catch brought in via chum and caught at a rate of ten to twelve in 30 minutes, as a bait for trolling for Wahoo or “down deep” for Grouper. I have also caught larger (24 inches and 5 pounds) Chihuil off the bottom using cut Squid during midmorning. —Description and photos courtesy John Snow. Chihuil, Trachurus symmetricus: Chihuil live baits, as used at the Gordo Banks, off San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Photos courtesy Eric Brictson, Gordo Banks Pangas.