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.

What Costs Anglers Bites

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.