Lefteye Flounders: Family Bothidae
Species: Citharichthys xanthostigma (Gilbert, 1890); from the Greek word citharichthys (a fish that lies on its ribs or side) and xanthostigma (yellow colored with a pointed bone—referring to the long fins).
Alternate Names: Sanddab, soft flounder, Catalina sanddab. Called lenguado alón in Mexico.
Identification: Sanddabs are in the left-eye flounder family. Longfin sanddab have very long pectoral rays—longer than the head. Their coloring is brown with a black pectoral fin.
Size: To 11.4 inches; most caught from piers are under 8 inches.
Range: Costa Rica, Gulf of California, and Pacific Coast from southern Baja California, to Monterey Bay, central California. Common from southern Baja California, to southern California.
Habitat: Found from moderate to deeper water, primarily over sand. Recorded to a depth of 820 feet.
Piers: Usually found in deeper water. Best bets: Balboa Pier, Newport Pier, Redondo Beach Pier, Redondo Sportfishing Pier and the Port Hueneme Pier.
Shoreline: Rarely caught from shore.
Boats: A small sanddab sometimes taken from boats
Food Value: Limited because of their small size.
Bait and Tackle: Use light tackle and fish on the bottom with small size 8 hooks. Longfin sanddab will hit most baits but prefer small strips of squid, pieces of anchovy, or worms.
Comments: Longfin sanddab are a small species that is infrequently taken. However, at times schools will appear near a pier and a considerable number will be taken in a short time.
Are longfin sanddab an endangered species? If so, what is causing the decline in their population?
As a member of the left-eye flounder family, it has its eyes on the left side when viewed from above. Its most distinguishing feature is its exceptionally long pectoral rays, which are longer than its head. The body is typically brown, complemented by a black pectoral fin.
This guide on Longfin Sanddab fishing is super informative—great tips on rigs and baits for the catch! I’ve also been experimenting with a photo booth online to create crisp, memorable shots of my catches—adds a fun twist!
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Longfin sanddab sounds like one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” species—tiny, usually under 8 inches, but super specific to deeper sandy bottoms. Cool how they sometimes school up around piers so you suddenly go from never seeing one to catching a bunch in a short burst.
I just want to know if it’s edible.
Thank you for sharing this detailed information on the Longfin sanddab. It’s interesting to learn that their scientific name reflects their side-lying behavior and yellow coloration. The fact that their pectoral fins are longer than their head is a unique identifying characteristic.
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It’s pretty fascinating that even though these are “left-eye” flounders, they’re named after the Greek for “fish that lies on its ribs.” They definitely seem like one of those “bonus” catches—you aren’t exactly going out to fill the freezer with 8-inch sanddabs, but it’s always a fun surprise when a whole school suddenly shows up at the pier. The fact that they can live up to 820 feet deep but still occasionally wander into range of a fishing hook at places like Newport Pier is a cool reminder of how much is going on right under the surface!
The name *lenguado alón*—”big-winged flounder”—is such a perfect description once you realize their pectoral fins are actually longer than their heads. It’s one of those species that proves you don’t need to be a trophy-sized fish to be interesting; the idea of this tiny, 8-inch flatfish drifting around in total darkness at 800 feet deep is pretty wild. They definitely fall into that “patient angler” category where you’re using tiny size 8 hooks and just waiting for that lucky moment when a school decides to swing by the pier!
It’s funny how they’re nicknamed “soft flounder”—it makes them sound almost delicate compared to the bigger, tougher game fish people usually go for. Even though the food value is listed as limited, anyone who’s actually bothered to fry up a mess of sanddabs knows they’re surprisingly sweet and tasty, even if it’s a lot of work for a small snack! It’s definitely one of those “hidden gem” species that makes a day at the pier interesting, even if you’re mostly just catching the 8-inchers.
It’s cool how their scientific name basically translates to “yellow-spotted fish that lies on its side”—it’s about as literal as you can get! They really seem like the ultimate “deep-sea lightweights,” spending most of their time in the dark at hundreds of feet but occasionally popping up at the Redondo or Balboa piers just to keep things interesting. Even if they’re a bit small for a full-on fish fry, catching a species that’s common all the way down to Costa Rica definitely adds a little bit of a tropical vibe to a day of pier fishing!