Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Hello, this is my first post but I have gotten a lot of information from Spearboard over the years, so thank you all. I have been spearfishing in Palos Verdes for about a year and have gradually compiled fish ID info to share with new spearfishing buddies as a cheat sheet for what is legal to hunt and to help identify stuff we see. I am sharing this info so that it may help others as well.
Disclaimer: any of the limits and minimum sizes may be wrong or change, check the regs. Also this is just my opinion. I'm looking forward to hearing opinions/feedback. Helpful links for fish identification California Ocean Recreational Fishing Regulations: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/...g-Map/Southern Great newish site, shows you what is open. Also can access the protected area maps on the right. Summary of the rules for "groundfish" such as rockfish: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...62&inline=true California Fishing Passport - Ocean: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...35&inline=true Safe eating guidelines: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/socal061709.html Selected Nearshore Fishes of California (drawings): https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...06&inline=true Selected Nearshore Fishes of California (different doc, more nice drawings): https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...05&inline=true LA/PV fish we hunt Kelp Bass aka Calico Bass Minimum size*: 14" Limit*: 5 within any combination of Kelp Bass/Barred Sand Bass/Spotted Sand Bass http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/00.jpg Gopro GIF of my best kelp bass snipe: http://giphy.com/gifs/6gVnYeMvykiBy. Barred Sand Bass / Spotted Sand Bass (not pictured) Minimum size*: 14" Limit*: 5 within any combination of Kelp Bass/Barred Sand Bass/Spotted Sand Bass http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/01.jpg Note: barred sand bass is on the "do not eat" list for LA. California Sheephead Minimum size*: 12" Limit*: 5 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/02a.jpg Male http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/02b.jpg Female Sheephead begin female and change to male. Rockfish / Treefish Minimum size*: none Limit*: 10 in RCG group (Rockfish, Cabezon, Greenling) http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/03a.jpg Copper Rockfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/03b.jpg Treefish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/03c.jpg Olive and yellowtail rockfish look kind of like kelp bass. Bronzespotted rockfish, canary rockfish, cowcod, and yelloweye rockfish are no take. Don't see these much in PV. Lingcod Minimum size*: 22" Limit*: 3 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/04a.jpg What it'll really look like: http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/04b.jpg Cabezon Minimum size*: 15" Limit*: 3 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/05.png Gopro GIF of shooting one, check out that camo: http://giphy.com/gifs/F3pfaejAyz6rm. One identifying feature is the stalks behind their eyes, called a "cirrus". Watch out, their eggs are toxic. They don’t have scales. Fillets can be blue. California Scorpionfish aka Sculpin Minimum size*: 10" Limit*: 5 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/06a.jpg http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/06b.jpg Gopro GIF of sculpin on the Valiant wreck at Avalon, Catalina: http://giphy.com/gifs/y2OIL2Ligp8li. Careful, their spines are very venomous. Super painful or dangerous if you get stuck apparently. White Seabass Minimum size*: 28" or 20" alternate length. Limit*: 3, except that only one fish may be taken in waters south of Point Conception between March 15 and June 15. http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/07a.png http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/07b.jpg California Halibut Minimum size*: 22” Limit*: 5 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/08.png Sanddab Minimum size*: None Limit*: ? http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/09.png Yellowtail Minimum size*: 24" fork length, except 5 fish under 24" fork length can be taken. Limit*: 10 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/10.png Invertebrates we hunt Spiny Lobster Minimum size*: 3 1/4" carapace Limit*: 7 Season*: From the Saturday preceding the first Wednesday in October through the first Wednesday after the 15th of March. 2016/2017 season: Saturday, October 1, 2016 through Wednesday, March 22, 2017 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/33.jpg GoPro video from Catalina lobster diving just after 12 AM opening night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-i3ZqyuBQ4 More info in the CA Fish & Wildlife FAQ: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conserva...brates/Lobster California Two-spot Octopus http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/11.jpg Gopro GIF of grabbing one: http://giphy.com/gifs/rqAC7CYBJGRq0. Urchin Minimum Size*: None Limit*: 35 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/12.jpg * Check the current California fishing regulations to verify any size and limit info in this post is still valid! |
Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Part 2:
Disclaimer: any of the limits and minimum sizes may be wrong or change, check the regs. Fish some spearos hunt I either do not go after these or my experience is limited. Opaleye Minimum size*: ? Limit*: ? http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/13.jpg Surfperch Minimum size*: none, except redtail surfperch 10.5" Limit*: 10 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/14.png Common Surfperches of California PDF with identification photos: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.a...17&inline=true Ocean Whitefish Minimum size*: none Limit*: 10 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/15.jpg Kelp and Rock Greenlings Minimum*: 12” Limit*: 10 in RCG group http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/16.jpg Barracuda Min size*: 28" Limit*: 10 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/17.jpg GoPro GIF of a barracuda off PV: https://giphy.com/gifs/J5c94tuvzEm6A. Other creatures we commonly see in LA/PV Garibaldi http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/18.jpg Seņorita http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/19.jpg Blacksmith http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/20.jpg Halfmoon Surfperch http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/21.jpg Rock Wrasse http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/22.jpg Giant Kelpfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/23.jpg Giant Sea Bass aka Black Sea Bass http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/24.jpg http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/24b.jpg Juvenile Giant Sea Bass GoPro GIF of Giant Sea Bass at Catalina: http://giphy.com/gifs/6DbsfhgB4QOA. Protected. Huge friendly fish. Finescale Triggerfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/25.jpg I saw a big old one of these at one of the coves in PV this summer. Not sure if these aggro like tropical cousins? Moray Eel http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/26.jpg Bat Ray http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/27.jpg Thornback Guitarfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/28.jpg These are fun to pick up off the bottom and use to scare your buddy. Broadnose Sevengill Shark http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/29.jpg GoPro GIF of a sevengill: http://giphy.com/gifs/HcvCpfFs2DVwQ. Leopard Shark http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/30.jpg Horn Shark http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...sh%20ID/31.jpg * Check the current California fishing regulations to verify any size and limit info in this post is still valid! |
Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Cool, thanks man! It's nice to have all these in one place. I'm new to San Diego from norcal so I'm brushing up on all these new fish.
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Thanks for the links and pics, I was just looking for this stuff the other day. It's always fun recognizing a fish in the water and I like knowing their spawn seasons/gender markings.
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Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Great post! Thanks for putting it all together.
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This should be a sticky, great stuff. Might want to add grass rockfish and brown rockfish and to the list, as well as bonito. The croakers too (spotfin, yellowfin, black) and corbina. And maybe soupfin shark, swell shark, shovelnose/banded guitarfish, angel shark, turbot, and round stingray.
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Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Awesome info, maybe for the invertebrates you can add rock crabs, sheep crabs, dungeness crabs and possibly kelp crabs for people to know the difference? Scallops and other shellfish as well?
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Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Thanks for giving back to the sport !! Nice job
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Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Thanks guys! This is fun. I maxed out the 20 pics limit in both posts before, so here's a follow up post with 20 more.
Disclaimer: any of the limits and minimum sizes may be wrong or change, check the regs. More Fish ID Grass Rockfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/200.jpg Brown Rockfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/201.jpg Pacific Bonito Minimum size*: 24" fork length or 5 lbs, except that 5 fish less than 24" fork length or less than 5 lbs may be taken. Limit*: 10 http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/202.jpg California Corbina http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/203.png Yellowfin Croaker http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/204.jpg Spotfin Croaker http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/205.jpg Black Croaker http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/206.jpg CO Turbot http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/207.jpg Soupfin Shark http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/208.jpg Swell Shark http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/209.jpg Shovelnose Guitarfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/210.jpg Banded Guitarfish http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/211.jpg Angel Shark http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/212.jpg Pacific Electric Ray aka Torpedo Ray http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/213.jpg Round Stingray http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/214.jpg Dungeness Crab Minimum size*: Five and three-quarter inches measured by the shortest distance through the body from edge of shell to edge of shell directly in front of and excluding the points (lateral spines). Limit*: 10 Maybe not always in season? Maybe subject to temporary closures? http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/215.jpg See more on identifying vs close relatives here: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/...Dungeness-Crab. Rock Crab Minimum size*: Four inches measured by the shortest distance through the body, from edge of shell to edge of shell at the widest part, except there is no minimum size in Fish and Game Districts 8 and 9. Limit*: 35 Maybe not always in season? Maybe subject to temporary closures? http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/216.jpg Sheep Crab Minimum size*: ? Limit*: ? http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/217.jpg Kelp Crab http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/218.jpg Sea Hare http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h%20ID/219.jpg * Check the current California fishing regulations to verify any size and limit info in this post is still valid! |
Re: Los Angeles (Palos Verdes) Fish ID
Are the grassies and browns the most common rock fish around here in the shallows?
How do the kelp crabs taste? |
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Nice post.
Something I have been curious about is when they say minimum size is "x," except "y" amount of fish can be taken under "x." What the hell does that mean? The way I read it is as long as you have "y" amount of fish under the minimum size you're fine. I never trusted my interpretation and have always gone with the minimum size, but I am curious if I am reading that right. |
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I'm sure this will be helpful for people. If you are going to have limits posted, you might want to note that the WSB bag limit is 1 for 3 months of the year. Or you may want to remove the info about limits, as they tend to change over time and the internet is forever.
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