OK those of you more in the know than I. Bottom fishing off of sail rock we got a fish that I didn't know what in the heck it was. Oh we got all the usual suspects, but there was this one that was different. Looked more like an aquarium fish than an ugly rock fish. It was reddish brown (kelp color), fins more like a ling ( no barbs), green colored spots on the body and really small teeth. It's skin was smooth like a ling also.

So...what was it?

Sounds like you got a kelp greenling. You do know that if it looks like the shape of a bass, then you got a rockfish, if it's slim like a lingcod, you got a greenling. You mention greenish spots... you sure they weren't bluish? Were there spines in the dorsal fin and on the gill plate? Was there just one lateral line or 4 lateral lines? Was the head disproportionately bigger than the body?

If you don't have a clue what in the world I'm asking you you can look up this dude, Dr. Milton Love. He co wrote a book called, Rockfishes of the Northeast Pacific Coast. It's a fantastic reference book that even a fisherman would find VERY valuable. Excellent photography for the most part.

Sounds like a greenling. A few of the locals call them Sea Trout.

I was thinking greenling, but it's been so long since I've been bottom fishing I couldn't remember what they look like.

My bad....the spots were blue. There were no spines on the dorsal fin that I could see. Didn't touch it just released it. The head wasn't unproportionally big like a regular ling. If they were greenlings, I wish I would have kept a couple because from what I remember they taste good

We caught some really nice Greenlings in Seiku last year. You're right they do taste good.

Do cabazon have spots on them?

Thanks for the help guys. I'm gonna go with greenling. Next time gonna keep a couple.

Just finished dinner of salmon and sea bass on the bbq cooked up on a cedar plank. Salmon was excellent, sea bass was incredible!!! Never tried to cook it on the wood before, but it made it the best I ever tasted!!!!