Fish ID in Monterey

[JustinW]

I don't have a photo, and yes I know that makes it extremely difficult, but I think i know what it is anyhow. Over the past month I have seen these fish on two occasions, once at coral street in midwater and once at the breakwater about a foot off of the bottom. To me they look like they are probably white sea bass, but I don't know how common they are this far north. Some quick research showed that they have been found as far north as alaska, so perhaps.
The first one I saw looked to be pretty good size, 24-30 inches easily. The second and third were together and were maybe 18 inches. They had a head shaped a bit like a rubberlip perch but I didn't get a good look at the shape of the mouth. They are more elongated with a tail that is more squared off and not forked like a surf perch, and these are a uniform silver grey color. Have you seen White Sea Bass in Monterey, or maybe I was just narced

 

[Brian Gilpin]

Justin:

Have you tried any of the online ID sites such as http://www.reef.org/ or http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm or http://divebums.com/FishID/ ?

Perhaps if you told me what it tastes like I could be of more help. And yes you probably were narced but that doesn't mean the fish wasn't real.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I have seen a White Sea Bass UW once, at Eric's, for about two
seconds. It was a couple of years ago when the fisherfolk were
catching quite a number of WSB in Monterey, and I'd seen a couple
brought in a the launch ramp.

 

[JustinW]

Thanks Brian,
Yeah I have looked around at a couple of those, I just wasn't sure if someone around here knew if White Sea Bass were in this neck of the woods, several websites have suggested it, but i've never seen a diver talk about them up here.

 

[JustinW]

I suppose this thread doesn't have much interest here for anyone, but maybe someone is. I was doing a bit more research, and I wonder if it might have been an ocean whitefish, as the body shape, color and size are also close. The whitefish being a bit more stout than a sea bass. I'm just not sure if it is realistic to think I have been seeing these in monterey. We are supposed to be in an El Nino year, so perhaps the currents have pushed a few of these up, even though temps haven't been that high in close to shore, offshore they are warmer.

 

[Brian Gilpin]

Justin

White Seabass would not be surprising According to the fisheries folk they are making a big comeback.:10: I quickly checked the REEF database for sightings in the Mont Bay and was not able to find any.:06: I will be sure to keep an eye out this weekend.I am still an ID neophyte but it seems like I could recognize these babies. Maybe you should do a survey and be the first local to spot one officially.

 

[JustinW]

Fishing guides in the area talk about catching a WSB here and there, and I sure thought that I had seen a few. I am confident now that I have seen WSB on two occasions at two locations, including that the breakwater, on the small reef west of the bend in the wall.

 

[Brian Gilpin]

I believe I saw a small school of them intermingled with some blues the weekend before last at Macabees. They werent obvious til the two schools separated. Unfortunately I had to attend to a buddy issue and they disappeared before I could make a positive ID.