grass rockfish
Sebastes rastrelliger
Shore rockfish, the most important for anglers fishing from rocks and breakwaters in the North Pacific. It lives down to 46 m and is good to eat.
Also called: garoupa-oliveira, rocote de olivo, grass rockfish
- maximum
- 56 cm
- depth
- 0–46 m
who is the grass rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, living on rocky bottoms, in tide pools and near the coast, also in kelp and seagrass beds. It grows to 56 cm. It occurs from 0 to 46 m, but is usually found less than 15 m deep. It is viviparous, with planktonic larvae. It is the most important rockfish for anglers fishing from rocky shores and breakwaters, and it is good to eat.
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 grass rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals 28 years old have been recorded.
identification
Olive rockfish, olive-toned, as the common name suggests. It lives in tide pools and near the coast, which sets it apart from deeper-bottom rockfishes. Compare it with the yellow rockfish, which is smaller and hides in holes and rock crevices, and with the brown rockfish, which lives in shallow bays near rocks covered in algae.
Loading the next 7 days…
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
Lives in the eastern Pacific, from Yaquina Bay, Oregon, United States, to Baja California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Rocky bottom, tide pools and kelp beds near the coast, 0 to 46 m.
rules for the grass rockfish
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.
It is not venomous, but it has strong spines on the head and fins. Hold it carefully when removing the hook.
in the kitchen
It is good to eat.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00977, b = 3.08; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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: Sebastes rastrelliger (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sebastes rastrelligerNames by country and language.
