Also known as orange rockfish, the canary rockfish belongs to a diverse and beautiful family of reef fish that are found across Eastern Pacific Ocean. It dazzling colour makes it a popular aquarium species. At the same time, the canary rockfish is economically important in both the commercial and sportfishing industries that seem to be slowly driving it towards extinction.

Description

Canary rockfish has the typical body design of a predatory bottom fish. It's abdomen is flat and its large mouth allows the consumption of large food items. 13 dorsal spines can be found along the front portion of its back, while 14 to 15 softer dorsal fin rays follow behind. Its body colouration is bright to dark orange. White marking runs along the lateral line of the fish. Three distinct darker orange stripes are found across its head. Canary Rockfish averages between 2lb and 6lb, while fish as large as 10lb are not impossible to be found.

Distribution

Canary rockfish can be found across Eastern Pacific. Rock piles, kelp bed, pylons are underwater structures where canary rockfish reside and hunt. They can be found along the coastal waters between Mexico and Alaska.

Life History

Canary rockfish is a species that has a long lifespan, its age can reach as old as 80 years. Adults prefer loose rocky bottoms and tend to be benthic predators. Juvenile fish are pelagic individuals that swim in the shallow waters. They predate on small fish found in kelp beds and plankton such as krill. Spawning adults give birth to live planktonic larvae, an unique strategy that is only found in a few families of fish. Recruitment rate is slow, population doubling time can be as long as 15 years.

Fishing Locations

When fishing for canary rockfish, look for structures where they may inhabit. When fishing from shore, piers, pylons, rocks are good indications to look for. If you are fortunate to be fishing on a boat, offshore islands and kelp beds are areas that can often provide good result.

Fishing Techniques

When targeting canary rockfish, bait such as squid, herring tied onto a large hook and sinker can be effective. Simply cast the offering out to structures where you think the fish are. For a cheaper alternative, lead jigs with plastic worms can entice the fish just as well. Main line between 12 and 15lb test should be used to prevent abrasion caused by sharp underwater structures. Making sure the rod and reel are adequate is also very important. A stiff rod is needed in deeper water so it can withstand larger fish. When fishing shallow water kelp beds, sometimes a light spinning outfit is ideal. Be sure to move around after spending a good portion of time on one spot. Canary rockfish is a benthic fish that tends to stay at one spot for a long period of time. If one spot does not produce, most likely the fish are simply not there.

Be sure to check the regulations of your fishing location before targeting canary rockfish. Like most other rockfish species, the populations of canary rockfish are threatened by overfishing. When a quota is allowed, please release all larger fish that have already reached sexual maturity to ensure a healthy recruitment in the population.

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