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fishing forecast

splitnose rockfish

Sebastes diploproa · Sebastidae · predator

Red rockfish of soft bottoms in the open North Pacific, which in Mexico ranges from Baja California to the Gulf of California. It is sometimes sold as fillets.

Also called: garoupa-focinho-duplo, rocote doble hocico, splitnose rockfish

Scientific illustration of Splitnose rockfish
maximum
46 cm
record/max.
0.8 kg
depth
91–579 m
location

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period

Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…

the species

everything about the splitnose rockfish

overview

who is the splitnose rockfish

Rockfish of the family Sebastidae, genus Sebastes, living in open sea over soft bottoms, 0 to 800 m, most common between 91 and 579 m. It grows to 46 cm and up to 810 g. Juveniles stay in shallow water, sometimes at the surface under drifting kelp. It is viviparous, with planktonic larvae and pelagic juveniles. It is rarely caught by sport anglers. Its range runs from the Alaska Peninsula to the Gulf of California.

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 splitnose rockfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.

fun facts

  • The young are born in spring.
  • Individuals 86 years old have been recorded.
how to recognize it

identification

Red rockfish, silvery underneath, with a toothed knob at the front of each upper jaw and a deep cleft between the two jaws. The head has strong spines, but there are no spines on the nape or crown, and the caudal fin is moderately notched. Compare it with the chilipepper rockfish, which has a bright red lateral line and a projecting chin, and with the rosy rockfish, which lives on rocky bottoms.

distribution

where found

open on the large map

Lives in the northeast Pacific, from the Alaska Peninsula to Cedros Island, Baja California, and the Gulf of California, Mexico. In Latin America, it occurs only in Mexico.

Habitat: Soft bottoms of open sea, 0 to 800 m, most common between 91 and 579 m.

what the law says

rules for the splitnose 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. As it lives at depth, it suffers barotrauma if reeled up quickly; release it carefully.

in the kitchen

The largest specimens are sometimes sold as fillets in the market.

calculator

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Sebastes diploproa (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 diploproaNames by country and language.
don't confuse

similar species