Yellow Bobo

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Yellow Bobo
Bobo Amarillo, Barbudo de Neuve Barbas, Barbudo Amarillo
(Polydactylus opercularis)

Fish Identification Photos: Yellow Bobo, Polydactylus opercularis: The Yellow Bobo has some similarity to an albino freshwater catfish, but with a bronze brown back, silvery yellow sides and yellow fins. The Yellow Bobo has eight to nine free pectoral rays which provide the best method of species identification.

The Yellow Bobo is easily confused with the Blue Bobo, Polydactylus approximans (blue-white coloration, five or six free pectoral rays, black pectoral fin). The Yellow Bobo reaches a length of 15 inches and about 2 pounds in weight. It is normally found in the first 60 feet of the water column over sandy bottoms near the mouths of rivers.

The Yellow Bobo is a member of the Polynemidae or Threadfin Family which consists of bobos and threadfins. In general, they are elongated warm water fishes with compressed conical bodies, short snouts, with mouths that overhang the bottom lip with no top lips.

They have large eyes with fatty eyelids, two well separated dorsal fins, and forked tails. The characteristic and identifying pectoral fins are divided into two sections, a lower detached section that consists of five to nine free rays, and an upper section that is a normal pectoral fin.

These rays serve as feelers or scoops as the fish feeds over hard, sandy bottoms. Globally, 15 species have been identified of which two are found in the Eastern Pacific and both live in Mexican waters.

In Mexico, the Yellow Bobo is a non-migratory species found along the Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula, in the lower one-tenth of the Sea of Cortez, and along the mainland south to Guatemala. It does not appear to be present around the oceanic islands however.

Yellow Bobo Photo 1

Yellow Bobo Photo 2

Yellow Bobo, Polydactylus opercularis: Caught out of the surf, utilizing a 15-pound test with a two dropper loop rig, no swivels, 1.5-ounce bank sinker, and Mustad 92553 hooks, size #4, on cut squid. at Km. 55 on the Todos Santos road, Baja California Sur, Mexico, by Amigo Dave in August 2004. Size approximately 14 inches and 2 pounds and a strong fighter. These also appear as byproducts when one purchases a “scoop of bait” at La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, during the winter months with water temperatures below 78-degrees, early morning in 5 to 10 foot water utilizing a cast net by panguero bait salesmen. Bait specimens range from 4 to 14 inches and up to 2 pounds. Not viewed by locals as of great value. They do survive a panga “bait tank” at a high level. Can be differentiated from the very similar Blue Bobo (Polydactylus approximans) by yellow pectoral fin and the whisker count, eight or nine for the Yellow Bobo and five or six for the Blue Bobo. Description and photos courtesy John Snow.

Yellow Bobo Photo 3

Yellow Bobo, Polydactylus opercularis: Length, 16 inches. Caught from the beach at Punta Colorada, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico, October 1998, on a live sardine, with 12-pound line. The Yellow Bobo is a member of the threadfin family of about eight different species worldwide, of which a few can grow very large (biggest: Giant African Threadfin, up to 160 pounds). Only during one week of my 300 fishing days at Baja did I encounter the Yellow Bobo. The first day of that week was the wildest. I caught one with a live sardina, and 12 with my casting net amongst the sardinas and a few croakers. The days after that, I would catch only two or three per day (50/50 on rod and net). Biggest was one of 18 inches. A pretty strong fighter. Description and photo courtesy Peter Langstraat.