Lebranche Mullet
The tainha is the heartbeat of artisanal fishing along Brazil's southern coast. Every winter, schools migrate out of estuaries to spawn, and communities from São Paulo to Rio Grande do Sul mobilize entire neighborhoods to net them.
The roe alone commands premium prices, and a strong season can fund a fishing family's entire year. No other mullet species matters more to Brazil's coastal fishery.
Scientific Name: Mugil liza
Also known as Tainha, Liza
- Dark bluish-gray on the back fading to bright silver on the belly, with several faint dark stripes running lengthwise along the sides.
- Distinctive flat top to the head; fatty tissue covers most of the eye, giving it a glazed look — a reliable field mark separating it from other mullets.
- Small mouth with thin lips; the lower lip has a prominent central knob. Two short dorsal fins set widely apart.
- Grows to 100 cm; most fish netted commercially run considerably smaller, but large females heavy with golden roe are the most prized catch of the season.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to Brazil's entire Atlantic coastline, with the most commercially significant populations concentrated from Espírito Santo south through Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.
- Spends most of the year in estuaries, coastal lagoons, and brackish inlets; tolerates full freshwater on occasion but is fundamentally a coastal marine species.
- During the winter spawning migration, adults move into open inshore marine waters, where the bulk of the catch is taken from São Paulo south toward the Argentine border.
- Depth range runs from the surface down to about 125 m, though fish are almost always found inshore and in the upper water column.
Key Locations
- Santa Catarina State coast — the cultural and commercial center of the tainha fishery, with deep community traditions tied to the annual winter run.
- Rio Grande do Sul coastline — southern end of the primary migration corridor, where ringed gillnet fleets operate during the season.
- Paraná and São Paulo coastal estuaries — important feeding and nursery habitat outside the spawning season.
- Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul corridor — the full assessment unit for the South-Southeast Brazilian stock, spanning the North, East, and South Brazil Shelf ecosystems.
Specific Spots
- Estuary mouths and tidal channels concentrate fish during the warmer months when tainha are feeding and fattening before the winter run.
- During the spawning migration, schools travel close to the beach in the surf zone — traditional lookout posts (vigias) on headlands are used to spot and direct net crews below.
- Coastal lagoon entrances, where freshwater meets salt, hold fish transitioning between feeding and migratory phases.
- Near-surface water column along open beaches is where migrating schools are intercepted; fish rarely hold on bottom structure during the run.
Lebranche Mullet FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Lebranche Mullet?
Fresh or frozen shrimp is the go-to bait for rod-and-line fishing, fished on a small hook (size 4–8) with minimal weight near the bottom in estuaries and tidal channels.
When is the best time to fish for Lebranche Mullet?
May through July is the peak season, the winter spawning migration brings dense schools close to shore along the southern coast, and this window drives the bulk of annual landings.
How do you catch Lebranche Mullet?
The overwhelming majority of tainha fishing in Brazil is done with gillnets and cast nets by artisanal fleets working the surf zone and estuary mouths during the May–July winter migration.
What do Lebranche Mullet eat?
Tainha are bottom-grazing filter feeders, scraping algae, detritus, and organic matter from mud and sand, not predatory fish. Natural baits such as shrimp work, but the species is primarily targeted with nets rather than hook-and-line in Brazil.
Where do Lebranche Mullet live?
Native to Brazil's entire Atlantic coastline, with the most commercially significant populations concentrated from Espírito Santo south through Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.
See it in the app
Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Lebranche Mullet.
- 01 · Species map filter
Map every Lebranche Mullet water
Pick Lebranche Mullet and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.
- 02 · Waterbody species
Tap any water. See what lives there.
Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.
- 03 · Angler Intelligence
Ask how to catch Lebranche Mullet
Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.
Stop guessing where Lebranche Mullet are.
Open the map, filter by Lebranche Mullet, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.
- Species map filter
- Angler Intelligence
- Fishing journal
Explore other species
Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.
No species information available.
Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.
onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.