| Queenfish | |
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Family: |
Sciaenidae (Croakers) |
Genus and Species: |
Seriphus politus |
Description: |
The body of the queenfish is elongate and moderately compressed. The head is compressed with the upper profile depressed over the eyes. The mouth is large. The color is bluish above becoming silvery below and the fins are yellowish. Queenfish can be distinguished from other croakers by their large mouth, the base of the second dorsal and anal fins being about equal, and the wide space between the two dorsal fins. |
Range: |
Queenfish occur from Uncle Sam Bank, Baja California, to Yaquina Bay, Oregon. They are common during summer in shallow water around pier pilings on sandy bottoms. They are found at depths up to 180 feet; however, occur more often from 4 to 27 feet. Queenfish are common in southern California, but are rare north of Monterey, California. |
Natural History: |
Queenfish feed on small, free swimming crustaceans, small crabs, and fishes. Adult queenfish spawn in the summer. The eggs are free floating. Tiny young queenfish, less than 1 inch long, appear in late summer and fall; first at depths of 20 to 30 feet, gradually moving shoreward until they enter the surf zone when 1 to 3 inches long. |
Fishing Information: |
Queenfish may be caught using live anchovies as bait. They are quite often the most commonly caught fish by anglers from piers. |
Other Common Names: |
herring, kingfish, herring croaker, shiner. |
Largest Recorded: |
12 inches; no weight recorded. |
Habitat: |
Shallow Sandy Environment |
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