| Blue Rockfish | |
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Family: |
Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes) |
Genus and Species: |
Sebastes mystinus |
Description: |
The body of the blue rockfish is oval or egg-shaped and compressed with similar dorsal and ventral profiles. The head is relatively short and bluntly pointed. The mouth is relatively small with the lower jaw slightly projecting. The color is dark blue or olive brown to grayish black on the back becoming lighter below; blotched with lighter shades on back and sides. The presence of five spines on the preopercle (gill cover), easily distinguish this species as a rockfish rather than a perch, a bass or a halfmoon which is of similar color. The black rockfish can be confused with this species; however, the black rockfish has spots on the dorsal fin while the blue rockfish does not. The anal fin of the black rockfish is rounded while that of the blue rockfish is slanted or straight. |
Range: |
The blue rockfish occurs from Punta Baja, Baja California, to the Bering Sea. It is a schooling species that is often caught in large numbers over rocky bottoms and around kelp beds. It is most commonly caught from the surface to 100 feet, although it has been taken from depths as great as 300 feet. |
Natural History: |
Blue rockfish principally eat small fishes, shrimps, other crustaceans and small pieces of algae or seaweed. Algae may be accidentally ingested while picking up small shrimp and other tidbits. As with other rockfishes, fertilization is internal and live young are born which are quite small and helpless. A 16 inch female contained just over 500,000 eggs. The main spawning season runs from about November to March. Blue rockfish may attain an age of at least 15 years. |
Fishing Information: |
Blue rockfish can be caught in quantity near rocky shores and around breakwaters, sunken ships, piles of rubble and similar localities along the entire California coastline, especially north of Point Conception. They are caught just beneath the surface in and around kelp beds, but where there is no kelp they live mostly near the bottom. Two or more hooks can be used with good success and almost any kind of cut fish will prove productive bait. Mussel, clam, crab, shrimp and squid strips work almost equally as well, as do some kinds of wet flies and other artificial lures. Blue rockfish are noted for putting up an excellent battle when hooked. |
Other Common Names: |
blue bass, blue fish, reef perch. |
Largest Recorded: |
21 inches; no weight recorded; however, a 15 inch female weighed 1.75 pounds. |
Habitat: |
Shallow Rocky Environment |
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