Side by Side

Black Rockfish Sebastes melanops

Typical: 12–18 in, 1–3 lb

Quickest tell: Black blotches on the spiny dorsal-fin membrane plus a rounded/slanted anal-fin margin ID Black Rockfish, versus Widow's clear fin membranes and straighter anal-fin margin.

• Gray-black to bluish, with a lighter mottled belly
• Black spotting/blotches on the membrane of the spiny dorsal fin
• Rounded snout, jaws roughly even (slight or no underbite)
• Weak, smooth head spines
• Anal fin with a rounded/slanted rear margin; not bright red

Full Black Rockfish guide — season, gear and rules →

Canary / Vermilion Rock Sebastes pinniger

Typical: 14–24 in, 2–6 lb

Quickest tell: Run a finger along the lateral line: Canary shows a clear light-gray stripe right at the lateral line with 3 orange head bars, while Vermilion is more uniformly red with black fin edges; neither has Yelloweye's yellow eye or raspy eye ridges.

• Bright orange to red body; Canary is gray-mottled, Vermilion is more uniformly red
• Canary: 3 orange bars radiating across the head; lateral line runs in a clear gray zone
• Vermilion: black-edged fins, gray mottling on the back, rough scales
• Canary: fins all orange, anal fin slanting rearward
• Both have normal dark eyes (NOT the bright yellow of Yelloweye)

Full Canary / Vermilion Rock guide — season, gear and rules →

When Each Is Running July — current month highlighted

Where Black Rockfish and Canary / Vermilion Rock Overlap

Both run in Northern California, Pacific Northwest — that is where telling them apart actually matters.

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