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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Rockfish identification help requested  (Read 1556 times)

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Captain Redbeard

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Calling all fish nerds...

I really enjoy positively ID'ing the fish I catch regardless of if I'm keeping them or not. I couldn't quite figure this one out. It was released unharmed.

I'm sorry the attached is the best picture I have of it. It came from pretty deep and I didn't want to stress it out with more pictures so a quick grip'n'grin is all I did. The fish was much brighter orange in person than what this picture shows.

My first thought was Canary Rockfish based on where I was fishing, the white stripe on the side, and the stripes on the "cheeks'. But then upon closer inspection, it *did* have the hard spines/ridges between its eyes, and it had a rounded, not forked tail, so then I thought Yelloweye Rockfish. But it didn't have yellow eyes, and it had the aforementioned stripes.

My best guess is juvenile yelloweye but thought I'd see if anyone else had any ideas. I've never seen a yelloweye with brown eyes - does this happen?

EDIT: I was just reading that copper rockfish are sometimes orange-ish. This was definitely more orange than any copper I've caught, which I usually quickly ID. Could this be a copper?
« Last Edit: July 06, 2018, 12:26:27 PM by Captain Redbeard »


MonkeyFist

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Sure looks like a Copper to me
« Last Edit: July 06, 2018, 12:47:49 PM by MonkeyFist »


Clayman

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Looks like a copper to me.  The lightened posterior lateral line, the mottling, the rounded tail...all indicators of a copper.  Like you said, there is a 'red form' copper out there and many coppers will have some orange/reddish highlights on them.

Nice fish!  Personally I don't care for eating them much, but my brother really likes them.
aMayesing Bros.


Captain Redbeard

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Thanks for the responses! Maybe my sunglasses just made it look more orange/reddish than usual.

If that was a copper it was my biggest one - usually I only find babies. Cool!


kingdr1300

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Yep, copper for sure!


bsteves

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I like these sorts of posts.. Add me to the "it's a copper rockfish" response squad.  I would have responded sooner but I'm at the Oregon Rockfish Social and it's hard to get cell service at camp.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


INSAYN

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Definitely a Copper. 

 

"If I was ever stranded on a beach with only hand lotion...You're the guy I'd want with me!"   Polyangler, 2/27/15


Tinman

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Agreed, definitely a copper rockfish