california sheephead
Bodianus pulcher
Large wrasse of reefs and kelp forests in the eastern Pacific. It has large teeth that cause serious bites, and white flesh sold fresh.
Also called: bodião-carneiro, vieja californiana, vieja de California, california sheephead
- maximum
- 91 cm
- record/max.
- 16.0 kg
- depth
- 3–30 m
who is the california sheephead
The California sheephead is of the family Labridae, the wrasses. It reaches 91 cm and weighs up to 16 kg. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from Monterey Bay, California, to Cabo San Lucas, in southern Baja California, and in the Gulf of California. It prefers rocky bottoms, especially in kelp forests, generally from 3 to 30 m deep. It eats sea urchins, mollusks, lobsters and crabs. It is taken in sport and commercial fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the california sheephead; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals start as females and become males at about 30 cm.
- The maximum recorded age is 53 years.
identification
Spindle-shaped body, with large, protruding canine teeth and a white chin in both sexes. Males, which are larger, have black heads and tails, a broad orange-red belly and a fleshy bump on the forehead; females are silvery or pinkish and dull, with a white belly. It can be confused with Bodianus diplotaenia, which ranges from the Gulf of California to Chile and has a narrow yellow band behind the base of the pectoral fin in very large adults. The California sheephead does not go beyond southern Baja California.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Found in the eastern Pacific, from Monterey Bay, California, to Cabo San Lucas, in Baja California, and in the Gulf of California.
Habitat: Rocky bottoms and kelp forests, generally from 3 to 30 m.
rules for the california sheephead
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Large teeth cause serious bites. Handle with a cloth or glove and release carefully.
in the kitchen
The flesh is white, of good quality, and sold fresh.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01047, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa pelo gênero e formato do corpo)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Bodianus pulcher (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Bodianus pulcherNames by country and language.
