Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is mainly found over reef, rocky, at depths of 0–550 m.
Scientific name: Sebastes mystinus · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 61 cm
Weight: up to 3.8 kg
The blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) is a member of the genus Sebastes, recognised by its bluish-black, grey-mottled oval body, its unusually smooth head with very few spines, and a pair of dark stripes that run down and back from the eye. It ranges from Vancouver Island in British Columbia to northern Baja California, with California its stronghold, and is found from the surface down to about 550 m, though most fish stay shallower than 90 m, schooling above rocky reefs and kelp. In the United States it is a mainstay of boat anglers out of San Diego, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay and San Francisco, and in the 19th century it was the most commonly marketed rockfish in San Francisco and San Diego. A boat bottom rig baited with squid or fish strips is the standard approach; small leadheads and soft plastics fished tight to the bottom work from piers and breakwaters.
Back to home · United States · Species library