Yelloweye Rockfish

Overview

The yelloweye rockfish, once called "red snapper" on the West Coast, is a large, brilliant orange-red deepwater rockfish famous for its longevity - individuals can live over a century. Slow-growing and tightly protected, it is a spectacular but carefully regulated catch.

Identification

Yelloweye are bright orange to red with a pale line along the body, raspy ridges over the eyes, and the bright yellow eye that gives them their name. Juveniles are darker with white stripes.

Range & Habitat

They live over deep, rocky reefs and boulder fields from California to Alaska, typically in 150 to 600 feet of water on the continental shelf.

Behavior & Diet

Yelloweye are slow-growing, long-lived bottom-dwellers that ambush fish and invertebrates around deep structure, seldom moving far from home reefs.

Best Seasons

Where seasons allow, they are caught year-round on deep bottom trips, though access is often restricted to protect the stock.

How to Catch Them

Drop heavy jigs or bait rigs to deep rocky structure; because they come up from great depth, careful handling is essential.

Tackle & Rigs

Heavy conventional bottom gear, braided line, and enough weight to reach deep reefs, with sturdy leaders against sharp structure.

Landing, Handling & Release

Because of extreme depth, released yelloweye must go back with a descending device to survive barotrauma - never toss them back at the surface. This is critical for a slow-growing, protected fish.

Table Quality

The flesh is firm, white and excellent, but low limits mean any harvest should be modest and well cared for.

Common Mistakes

Releasing deep fish without a descender - a death sentence from barotrauma - and fishing closed depths or seasons.

Regulations & Conservation

Yelloweye are a rebuilding, tightly protected stock with very restrictive limits, depth closures and mandatory descending-device rules in many areas. Always confirm the current regulations before fishing - this species is a conservation priority. We do not give legal advice.

FAQ

Is this the 'red snapper'? West Coast markets once called it that, but it is a rockfish, not a true snapper.

Can I keep one? Only within strict limits where open - always check first and use a descender for releases.