Waiting for July for Cabazon

I took a few guys out to the sunken south jetty last week. That the jetty south jetty on the Columbia River Bar. We hit a few black sea bass (Black rock fish) and a couple of undersize lings. The fun catch for them was a 6lbs Cabazon. It was released because you can only keep them from July to September. Those things have a mouth like a ling but with fewer teeth. They put up a goog fight because all the need to do is open their mouth and it acts like a hydrolic break system. I think I'll target some of those this summer. It should make for a bit of fun.

Sounds like a fun time on the water. How big do Cabazon get? Are they good eating? We need pics of your beautiful new boat in action! :thumb:

Here is a good article on Cabazon with some nice pictures. I have never seen on as large as the one in the picture. This week looks good for a halibut trip the ocean is calming down and I'l take the camera along. But in July I think I want to catch one of those cabazons.

I've caught one cabazon in my life and I released it....ugly things they are lol but I heard they taste good

Thanks, Irish! That thing is huge AND ugleee! I would need to work up my courage to remove the hook...:sad:

Great tasting fish!! Caught lots of small ones. Six pounds is a nice one. The one in your link looked like it was too big and held in front of the camera, with the people way back from it, so I looked up the world record, it's 23 lbs, so the pic on your link is out of proportion with the people in the background. But If you catch another 6 pounder this summer I'd make a couple nice meals out of that one!!

mikeee2362 said:

Great tasting fish!! Caught lots of small ones. Six pounds is a nice one. The one in your link looked like it was too big and held in front of the camera, with the people way back from it, so I looked up the world record, it's 23 lbs, so the pic on your link is out of proportion with the people in the background. But If you catch another 6 pounder this summer I'd make a couple nice meals out of that one!!

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That's funny. I did not pick up on that. I didn't think they grew quite that big, but you are right when you look close it's easy to see how they made that fish look really big.

Cabazon are delicious however one of the more regulated ocean rock fish. Super crazy lookin and Super Deliciouso-

Nice catch, should be a hoot this summer!

Unfortunately, that is the trend these days, to long-arm your fish for the internet. The fish are already quite good-looking when just regular-armed, but to each their own.

Good luck on the fishing this summer, Irish!

Irishrover said:

That's funny. I did not pick up on that. I didn't think they grew quite that big, but you are right when you look close it's easy to see how they made that fish look really big.

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troutmasta said:

Cabazon are delicious however one of the more regulated ocean rock fish. Super crazy lookin and Super Deliciouso-

Nice catch, should be a hoot this summer!

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You are right about that. It's one per day minimum lenght is 16" Only allowed to keep them July to September. I hope those regulation will help the population rebuild or they could go the way of the yellow eye.

Irishrover said:

You are right about that. It's one per day minimum lenght is 16" Only allowed to keep them July to September. I hope those regulation will help the population rebuild or they could go the way of the yellow eye.

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No kidding.

The sad thing is all the yellow eye that die on the surface because people dont have the equiptment, knowledge, or desire to release them at depth. You can't retain them, yet I bet 80% + yellow eye or cabazon for that matter die from just being caught and released.

You are right about that. I quit fishing for them at any depth. The sunken jetty is only 25 feet. I'm working on the milk creat release system. When I get it down I'll start fishing for bottom fish at depth. I've come back in from halibut fishing out of Newport and seen the "red floaters". The other thing is some folks just release any red colored fish. There are a lot of red fish that are fine to keep, you just have to know a yellow eye and a canary rock fish. Those must be released. The rest can do a pride of the west swim!