bocaccio-rockfish
Species Facts

Science Name: Sebastes paucispinus
Other Names: salmon grouper, grouper, mini-grouper (juveniles), red snapper, Pacific red snapper
World Record: 3 feet; 21 pounds
Environment: Deep Rocky Environment
Description

The body of the bocaccio is elongate and compressed. The head is pointed, the mouth large, and the lower jaw greatly protruding. The color varies from shades of brown to reddish and extends down over the belly. Young fish are generally light bronze with speckling over the sides and back. As they mature, their color generally becomes darker and the speckling gradually disappears.

Maximum length: 36 in (91 cm)
Peritoneum color: light
Maximum depth: 260 fm (475 m)
Shape between eyes: convex
Common depth: 27-137 fm (50-250 m)

Bocaccio occur from Punta Blanca, Baja California, to Kruzof Island and Kodiak Island, Alaska. Young bocaccio 1 or 2 years old travel in loose schools and move into shallow water where they may be captured in quantity. With increasing age they seek deeper water and move from near the surface to near the bottom. Adults are commonly found in waters of 250 to 750 feet over a somewhat irregular, hard or rubble bottom. They have been found at depths as great as 1,050 feet.

The diet of bocaccio includes mainly fishes such as surfperch, jack mackerel, sablefish, anchovies, sardines, Pacific mackerel, deepsea lanternfish, other rockfishes and sanddabs. Squid, octopus, and crab also are eaten. Females start maturing when they are 17 inches long. As with all rockfish, fertilization is internal and development of the embryos takes place within the ovaries of the female until they are ready to hatch. A 28 inch female was estimated to contain nearly 1.5 million eggs. The main hatching period runs from December through April. The newly hatched young, about 0.25 inch long, does not completely absorb the yolk from the egg stage for a period of 8 to 12 days.

Almost any rocky or rubble bottom at depths of 250 to 750 feet will yield good catches of bocaccio. The usual rig is made up of three to six hooks above a sinker that is heavy enough to take the line to the bottom on a fairly straight course. Because of the depths fished, it takes a considerable amount of time to let down and haul up this rig; consequently the bait should be sufficiently tough to remain firmly on the hook while being nibbled and chewed upon by the quarry. Pieces of squid are ideal.