Species › North America · Saltwater › Pacific Rockfish

Saltwater

Pacific Rockfish

Sebastes spp. · rock cod, vermilion rockfish, copper rockfish

Water temp
46–59°F
Peak season
Apr–Sep
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
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Pacific Rockfish (Rockfish (Sebastes spp.) 01.jpg)

Photo: Tewy · CC BY 2.5 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Pacific rockfish are the genus Sebastes, more than 60 species of spiny-headed, bass-shaped fish that dominate rocky bottom from Baja California to the Bering Sea. Anglers lump them as rock cod, but the mix changes with depth and latitude: black and blue rockfish school in shallow kelp from California to Alaska, copper, brown and gopher rockfish hug nearshore reefs, vermilion and canary rockfish glow red on deeper pinnacles, bocaccio are the long-jawed heavyweights of 150–300 ft, and yelloweye are the slow-growing deep-water giants that most states now protect. Most fish run 1–5 lb, with vermilion, bocaccio and yelloweye reaching 10–20 lb.

Rockfish are slow-growing and long-lived, with some species passing 100 years, and they give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. They feed on shrimp, squid, krill and small fish, holding tight to structure and rising into the water column at dawn and dusk. Because their swim bladders expand when hauled from depth, descending devices are now required on most of the coast to release fish alive. For anglers they are the reliable daily bag on party boats from San Diego to Sitka, the main reason to buy a West Coast license, and dependable table fare.

Typical size1–5 lb (0.5–2.5 kg); 12–20 in
Trophy10 lb+ vermilion or bocaccio; 20 lb+ yelloweye (usually protected)
Table fareExcellent — mild, flaky white fillets

Where & when

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California's groundfish seasons open by region in spring and run into fall or December, with depth limits that change through the year; Oregon and Washington fish March–October, and Alaska is open year-round with summer the practical peak.

Cordell Bank / Farallon Islands, CADeep pinnacles for vermilion, canary and bocaccioSan Miguel Island, CAChannel Islands reefs with big coppers and vermilionsDepoe Bay, ORShallow reef black rockfish on light tackleSitka Sound, AKYelloweye, quillback and blacks among kelp pinnacles

How to catch

Shrimp-fly dropper rigsFish a two- or three-hook gangion of shrimp flies above a 6–16 oz torpedo sinker, baited with squid strips, and drop it to the reef. Lift and lower a few feet to find the depth fish are holding, then stay there; expect doubles and triples.
Swimbaits and grubs on leadheadsRig a 4–6 in paddle-tail or curly-tail grub on a 2–6 oz leadhead and yo-yo it 5–20 ft above structure. Big vermilions and bocaccio rise to it, and it screens out small fish better than bait.
Light-tackle casting to kelpIn 20–60 ft around kelp beds, cast 1–2 oz jigs, plastics or small metal jigs toward the kelp edge and swim them back. Black and blue rockfish schooling under the canopy fight well on bass-style gear.
Vertical jigging deep pinnaclesDrop a 6–12 oz slow-pitch or flat-fall jig to high spots in 150–300 ft and work it with short lifts near the top of the pinnacle. Watch the depth limit for your area and have a descending device ready.

Gear

Rod7' medium-heavy conventional boat rod; 7' medium spinning for shallow kelp
ReelConventional star-drag 20–30 size; 4000 spinning for light tackle
Line30–50 lb braid with 30–40 lb mono leader; 15–20 lb for kelp fishing

Lures

Shrimp fliesPaddle-tail swimbaits on leadheadsCurly-tail grubsMetal jigs and flat-fall jigsSmall soft-plastic squids

Baits

Squid stripsAnchovySardineShrimp

Regulations

Rockfish fall under a combined groundfish daily limit with sub-limits or full closures for sensitive species such as yelloweye, canary, cowcod and bronzespotted, plus depth restrictions and seasons that vary by state and management area; descending devices are required for releases in most waters. A saltwater license is required.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed — IGFA keeps separate all-tackle records for each rockfish species (vermilion, copper, black, bocaccio, yelloweye and others). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

Why do I need a descending device for rockfish?

Rockfish pulled up from depth suffer barotrauma: the swim bladder expands, the stomach may protrude from the mouth and the fish floats, unable to return to the bottom. A weighted descending device or release clip returns it to depth where the gas recompresses, and survival is high. California, Oregon and Washington require one on board.

Which rockfish are best to eat?

All are good, but vermilion, copper and black rockfish are favorites for their firm white fillets. Larger fish yield thicker fillets but have lived decades, so many anglers keep mid-sized fish and release the biggest.

Bite forecast — Pacific Rockfish

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Pacific Rockfish.

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