What are these? Trying to Id this Fishy.

All right all you Alaska fishers and/or ichthyologists (Bsteves I am looking at you), what are these fish dudes and/or dudettes. I caught a few of them, and I am keeping track of species I catch.  Also, I caught one to use as halibut bait (unless this was illegal, then Wobbler caught it ) but, the conditions turned so we were unable to get back out.  I filleted it and brought it home mixed with other rockfish. I thought they were quillback until I looked at the photos a little closer.  They were shaped differently (mouth) and the dorsal fin was not right. I just want to make sure I am not eating something bad, since I can't tell which it is anymore.



One thing I learned in Alaska is that not all bush pilots are equal. Wobbler and I had to show one how to jump start his plane when he came to pick us up.  Apparently, not everyone understands that 2 12 volts = a 24V when wired in series.  I figured these pilots would be more self sufficient.

Also, If you are traveling the Hobie i12 was awesome.  I could easily stand up in it, too.

Wobbler with a bendo in the i12:

I think that is a qual back makes a ok fish taco

I agree...quillback rockfish most likely

+1 quillback

I originally thought quillback, but the dorsal fin was not attached to the adipose fin.  They appeared to be separate.

Here is a Quillback picture from the internet. I caught several that were easily identified as such:

That is a weird fish. That large gap between dorsal and adipose fin is unusual. In some parts of their ranges Quillbacks and Coppers hybridize and that was my first thought when I saw it.

I think it's a Quillback.maybe had a birth defect or injury when it was young

That is indeed a quillback rockfish with a missing fin deformity.

Also, the missing fin is called a second dorsal fin (note the soft rays) and not an adipose fin (fatty tab). 

That is indeed a quillback rockfish with a missing fin deformity.

Also, the missing fin is called a second dorsal fin (note the soft rays) and not an adipose fin (fatty tab).

I'd call it a lingcod scar!!!!

-Allen

That is a weird fish. That large gap between dorsal and adipose fin is unusual. In some parts of their ranges Quillbacks and Coppers hybridize and that was my first thought when I saw it.

I was thinking it was a hybrid (possibly) myself.  I caught another one just like it about a mile away from that one, on a different day.

How about this guy? It is a sculpin of some sort I assume. The closest I can guess is the Great Sculpin- Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus.

I'd call it a lingcod scar!!!!

-Allen

It would have been nice to find the ling.

Looks like one of those Irish lords garbage fish all head no body

How about this guy?

Depends.  Where are you and where is the rest of the report?   

-Allen

How about this guy?

Depends.  Where are you and where is the rest of the report?   

-Allen

I was in the Bay of Pillars on Kuiu Island.  Wobbler and I went up there to assist in some finish carpentry on a lodge and to secure the trips that may be given as prizes. The lodge was supposed to be done by late summer, but there have been material delays.  It was mostly work with some fishing. It was a blast, though.  How often can you say you helped build a lodge in the middle of nowhere. Also, now I have a place to go whenever I want. I may have some bear hunting in my future. The owner, Alan, wants to take my boys out bear hunting, too.  The ocean was rough so we stayed in the bay, mostly.  We went out several miles one day in the boat and hit a couple reefs, but it was rough.  I never wanted to quit fishing as badly as I did out there that night.  We were literally taking a beating. The owner said it was the roughest he has ever tried fishing in his 25+ years of guiding and owning a lodge.

The lodge is trying to figure out a way to funnel profits made on trip sales back into charities like Heroes on the Water to pay for trips for vets...etc.  The land sale agreement said it could not be a for-profit fishing operation and the owners are great guys that wants to give something back.  They are thinking of getting a fleet of kayaks up there.  Alan has an awesome mother ship made by Koffler Boats. The lodge will be about 5000 sq feet. The bay is awesome for salmon as well.

The mother ship.  It could easily get 6 yaks in it.  The perspective make it look smaller since I was zooming in on the eaglet:





It won't be a long walk to the kayak launch from the lodge.

If you have been on an Alaskan cruise, there is a good chance you may have seen the property.  The streak of light on the water (middle left) is a cruise liner (30 second exposure).

Lunch Break




My personal favorite photo from the trip:


As for a report, on the second evening, Wobbler and I were bouncing jigs on the bottom in water from 50 to 100 feet.  I hooked a nice halibut.  Using the dimensions on my kayak it was between 55 to 60 inches when it was tuckered out next to me.  It was awesome until I realized there was no safe way to land it.  Due top weight restrictions of the float plane we had to leave gear behind to include a flying gaff.  We also did not have a bonker.  I meant to make one out of the scrap lumber, but in my excitement to go fish, I forgot.

There was a battle that ensued when Wobbler tried to help.  I pulled its head and gills out of the water so he could attempt to cut the gills.  It kinda pissed the fish off a bit to say the least.  Luckily, or at least I though so at that time, it was tired because my braided line somehow got cut by some gear on the yak.  I saw it slipping through the rod eyes so I grabbed the swivel on the leader and kept the fish's head up.  Wobbler tried again, but he didn't want to get to aggressive with the knife since we were a mile from the lodge in inflatable kayaks (logical, huh).  That attempt also failed. 

The next plan was the lip gripper.  I can't say how great of an idea this seemed to be, but in hindsight it was all kinds of stupid. I can't believe we even tried.  I do still have the gripper--and Wobbler--barely. The plan was to get the gripper on it, hoist it up, and quickly cut its gills.  Wobbler almost went swimming instead.  Then, I thought to get the game clip through its gills and have a little stouter line connected to the fish, but it didn't seem to like having that pokey thing near its gills. It got a little bit angry again.   Finally, with leader in hand, I looked for the safest spot on shore to head too.  Then I started to tow it.  In the end, the leader broke and the fish swam off.  The sad thing is when I started towing it, I was no more than 50 yards from shore.  However, that stretch of the shore was close to vertical and rocky.  I wish we would have had a GoPro to show the comedy of errors so others can learn.

The next day we made a harpoon with some of Alan's gear and tied it to a large float.

After this outing, the weather turned a bit so we didn't venture far.  We never caught another halibut worth mentioning after that. It is not that they weren't there, it is just that we were trying to get as much done as we could to help get them back on track. Also, ending the night with a little R & R (we found a hidden gallon the plumbers left behind) made it harder to get up early and get out. It's all good, though. I plan to go back and focus on the fish.

Awesome!! Thank you!   

Niiiiice!  It's the adversity that makes it memorable.

-Mark-