How to Identify a Canary / Vermilion Rock

• 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)

Tell it apart: 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.

Easily confused with: Yelloweye Rockfish

How to Catch Canary / Vermilion Rock

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• Best summer into fall, June through September — drop multi-hook shrimp fly rigs onto deeper offshore reef and shelf structure with heavy weight.GearShrimp fly rigsHeavy bank sinkersDeep-water bait rig
• Best summer into fall, July through September — drop multi-hook shrimp fly rigs onto deeper offshore reef and shelf structure with heavy weight.GearShrimp fly rigsHeavy bank sinkersDeep-water bait rig

When & Where Canary / Vermilion Rock Are in Season

Canary / Vermilion Rock Regulations

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