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Illustration of Gopher rockfish
fishing forecast

gopher rockfish

Sebastes carnatus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the gopher rockfish

how to recognize it

Small rockfish, with a fusiform body and spines on the head and fins, a common trait of the family. It hides in holes and crevices of rocks, and is solitary and territorial. It grows to 39 cm, while the brown rockfish and the olive rockfish reach 56 cm, so it is smaller than both. All three live on shallow rocks near the coast.

Also called: garoupa-amarela, rocote amarillo, gopher rockfish

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Holes and crevices of coastal rocks, 9 to 55 m deep.

Lives in the eastern Pacific, from Eureka, northern California, United States, to central Baja California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.

rules for the gopher rockfish

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.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

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%.

more about the gopher rockfish

Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, living in holes and crevices of rocks along the coast, between 9 and 55 m, most common between 15 and 55 m. It grows to 39 cm. It is solitary and territorial. It is viviparous, with planktonic larvae. It lives from northern California to central Baja California, and is considered a sport fish. It has a fusiform body and spines on the head and fins, traits common to the group.

Family: Sebastidae · predator

fun facts

  • Individuals 30 years old have been recorded.

similar species

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Sebastes carnatus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sebastes carnatusNames by country and language.