Tag: Pier Fishing In California

Gopher Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes carnatus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent), and the Latin word carnatus (flesh colored). Alternate Names: Butterball, butter bass, gopher cod. Called rocote amarillo in Mexico. Identification: Deep, stout body with a steep porofile.…

Olive Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes serranoides (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent), and serranoides, a combination of Latin and Greek words (resembling a bass). Alternate Names: Sugar bass, Johnny bass or Jonathan (in Southern California), greenie (in central California);…

Pacific Hake

Hakes: Family Merlucciidae Species: Merluccius productus (Ayres, 1855); from the Latin words merluccius (an ancient name meaning sea pike) and procuctus (drawn out). Alternate Names: Cod, hake, silver hake, Pacific whiting, haddock, whitefish, popeye and oatmeal fish. Early-day names included mellusa and meluzette. In Mexico…

Black & Yellow Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes chrysomelas (Jordan & Gilbert 1881); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent), and the Latin word chrysomelas (black and yellow). Alternate Names: Black-and-tan rockfish, black-and-yellow rock cod, and sand bass. Early commercial fishermen in California (who often were Italian…

Brown Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes auriculatus (Girard, 1854); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent) and the Latin word auriculatus (eared, referring to the large spot on the gill cover). Alternate Names: Chocolate bass is a common name as is bolina (from Bolinas Bay…

Treefish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes serriceps (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent), and serriceps (formed from two Latin words meaning saw head) in reference to the large head spines. Alternate Names: Convict fish, lipstick bass, lipstick fish, barber pole…

Copper Rockfish

Scorpionfishes and Rockfishes: Family Scorpaenidae Species: Sebastes caurinus (Richardson, 1844); from the Greek word sebastes (magnificent). and the Latin word caurinus (northwest wind), a reference to the first specimens being taken in the northwest off of Sitka, Alaska. Alternate Names: Chucklehead, whitebelly rockfish, white gopher,…

Ocean Whitefish

Tilefishes: Family Malacanthidae Species: Caulolatilus princeps (Jenyns, 1840); from the Greek words caulo (stem) and latilus (probably a similar fish) and the Latin word princeps (leader). Alternate Names: Poor man’s yellowtail, whities, blanquillo, blanka. In Mexico called pez blanco, blanquillo fino or pierna. Identification: Elongate…

Dwarfperch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Micrometrus minimus (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek words mikros (small) and metr (having a womb), and the Latin word minim (smallest). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: None that I have heard, although I have seen them mistakenly called shinerperch. In…

Shiner Perch

Surfperches: Family Embiotocidae Species: Cymatogaster aggregata (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek root words cymo (foetus or fetus) and gastro (belly) and the Latin word aggregatus (crowded together, referring to the schooling nature of the fish). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae. Alternate Names: Commonly called shiner; also…