bank rockfish
Sebastes rufus
Red open-sea rockfish of the North Pacific, living at 31 to 247 m. In Mexico it reaches only as far as central Baja California and Guadalupe Island. It is a sport fish.
Also called: garoupa-vermelha, rocote rojo, bank rockfish
- maximum
- 54 cm
- record/max.
- 2.0 kg
- depth
- 31–247 m
who is the bank rockfish
Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, living offshore in open sea, near the bottom and in midwater, from 31 to 247 m. It reaches 54 cm and up to 2 kg. Adults are demersal and semipelagic, and juveniles are pelagic. The species is viviparous, with planktonic larvae, and is considered a sport fish. Its range runs from Oregon, United States, to Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
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 bank rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Individuals aged 85 have been recorded.
identification
Reddish rockfish, as the common name suggests, with strong spines on the head and fins. It lives farther from shore than reef groupers, between 31 and 247 m. Compare it with the flag rockfish, which lives on rocky areas at similar depths, and with the vermilion rockfish, which is dark red with black fin edges.
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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
Lives in the eastern Pacific, from Oregon and Fort Bragg in northern California, United States, to central Baja California and Guadalupe Island, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.
Habitat: Open sea, near the bottom and in midwater, from 31 to 247 m.
rules for the bank 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. As it lives at depth, it suffers barotrauma if reeled up quickly; release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01, 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: Sebastes rufus (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 rufusNames by country and language.
