In Alaska, when a fish breaks surface on your line, you might get a bit nervous. It weighs down your rod, but what exactly is it? Do you know how to identify rockfish? You have to do it while battling waves on a rocking boat with a slippery creature in your hands. The potential consequences for improper identification are significant; ranging from wasted fish to accidental violation of regulations. Knowing which fish is which matter more than knowing where to go or having best equipment.
While the differences can be hard to see with just your eyes, they’re very important in terms of following the rules. For example, two of the more confusing fish to differentiate are black rockfish vs. Dusky rockfish, both have dark coloration and hang out at similar depths. But if you look closely, key difference comes from the white blotching. Generally speaking, black rockfish will have patchy white markings on their sides whereas dusky rockfish won’t have any white on them (just an even grey all over).
How to Identify Rockfish and Follow Rules
That’s important because there’s a big difference in the bag limits for those two species. So if you’ve got one on deck and aren’t sure which species it is, you might accidently exceed your daily limit thinking you’re keeping the other.
In addition to habitat, depth is a key factor in what you’ll find out there. If you’re close to shore, around kelp beds and rocky reefs, you will find species that is easier for shore anglers and drifters to reach, such as quillback or copper rockfish. You begin heading out to oceanic areas where the water is significantly colder and darker, home to yelloweye or rougheye rockfish species that prefer those depths.
Those fish needs a different approach and also carry certain conservation restrictions due to their vulnerability. They’re incredibly long lived. Some species, such as rougheyes, can reach beyond 200 years old. They are one of the planet’s longest living vertebrate animals. Because of their long life spans, they also repopulate very, very slowly, so overfished population recover very, very slowly.
If you get lucky enough to land a big deep-water rockfish, chances are good you are holding a fish that has been alive for decades. If not generations. So the infographic really focuses on this extraordinary longevity to stress the need for conservation, because we are trying to protect something that takes more than a human life span to rebuild.
This is why descender devices are required in much of Alaska’s waters. When a hooked rockfish from below 30 fathoms comes to surface too fast, the expanding gases inside will cause barotrauma that can harm its internal organs. Dropping the fish right back down to depth with a weight gives the fish time to recover, while releasing it immediately at the surface is a death sentence more times than not.
Letting go of something you’ve worked so hard for seems counterintuitive, but it allows the fish to survive and spawn again next year. This has become second nature for respectful anglers looking out for resource.
These conditions also call for the right tackle selection. Brawny braids paired with beefy rods will be needed to manage the pull of these strong bottom dwellers. Given that keeping your offering close to the bottom structure; the hiding places of ambush predator, is key, heavier options and jigs usually yield better results then lighter setups, particularly in choppy water where baits like squid or herring do well too. Simple is best here, too, since complicated rig can get hopelessly tangled on any type of bottom rock.
Before you go, always be sure to check the latest regulations for where you are fishing. For example, in some parts of Alaska (Gulf waters, Southcentral, and Southeast), you’ll find very tight restrictions on catch amounts for protected fish such as yelloweye rockfish. There are also closed zones in some regions where fish stocks can rebuild themselves. When you’re checked by authorities, ignorance of the local regulations isn’t a good excuse, so bring current copy of the regulation booklet along or look up the latest changes online before dropping your first cast.
Knowing how to properly identify a rockfish is half preparation and half skill. Pay attention to marking, think about where you’re fishing and remember that some of these creatures can live for two centuries. Catching what you catch makes you a better angler and helps make the ocean healthier for us all. Knowing what’s on the other end of the line makes that fear on the boat turn to confidence.