Brazilian Codling
Known in Argentina as brótola, the Brazilian codling is a demersal marine fish that supports both artisanal and industrial coastal fisheries along the Argentine Atlantic coast.
It's a table fish first and a sport fish second — caught mainly as bycatch or by bottom fishermen working inshore and shelf waters. Its mild, white flesh makes it a kitchen staple, often stuffed or served with sauce.
Scientific Name: Urophycis brasiliensis
Also known as Brótola
- Elongated, roughly cylindrical body with a small head and small eyes; back and upper sides show a mottled, blotchy pattern useful for ID.
- First dorsal-fin ray is noticeably elongated; pelvic fins reach past the start of the anal fin — both distinctive features that separate it from similar hakes.
- Common fish run around 25 cm; the species reaches nearly 60 cm at maximum, though fish that size are uncommon inshore.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the southwestern Atlantic — found from southern Brazil through Uruguay and Argentina down toward the Falkland Islands.
- A bottom-dwelling marine species that lives at depths of roughly 24 to 190 meters, working the continental shelf and coastal slope.
- Subtropical to warm-temperate waters, roughly between 21°S and 46°S latitude, which covers the full length of Argentina's Atlantic coastline.
Key Locations
- Argentine Atlantic continental shelf — the species is distributed along the full coastal and shelf zone from Buenos Aires Province south through Patagonia.
Specific Spots
- Stays close to the seafloor on soft-bottom shelf habitat — sandy or muddy substrate at mid-shelf depths is where most fish are taken.
- Shallower fish (24–60 m range) are accessible to inshore bottom fishermen working from small boats along the Buenos Aires and Patagonian coast.
Brazilian Codling FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Brazilian Codling?
Cut fish, squid, and whole small baitfish on bottom rigs are the go-to, this is a scent-oriented bottom feeder, not a lure fish. Paternoster or running-sinker bottom rigs keep bait on the seafloor where the fish feed.
How do you catch Brazilian Codling?
Most brótola in Argentina are taken by bottom fishermen, both commercial vessels and small-boat inshore anglers, using bait rigs fished on or near the seafloor. It is not a dedicated sport-fishing target but is regularly caught by anglers fishing the coast for mixed bottom species.
What do Brazilian Codling eat?
Feeds near the bottom on small fish, crustaceans, and invertebrates. Bottom rigs with cut bait or whole small fish are the standard approach, as the species responds to scent on the seafloor rather than moving lures.
Where do Brazilian Codling live?
Native to the southwestern Atlantic, found from southern Brazil through Uruguay and Argentina down toward the Falkland Islands. A bottom-dwelling marine species that lives at depths of roughly 24 to 190 meters, working the continental shelf and coastal slope.
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