Lobos fish question

[pacificgal]

I saw something that looked like a calico bass at Lobos this past weekend, anyone else see one there? It's really weird, recently I've been seeing stuff I had only ever seen in So. Cal., Hilton's Aolid, sea hares, sheepshead, and now a calico bass. Can't wait till the garibaldis get here!

 

[sfobiologo]

Several of those species you mentioned range into Northern California (Calico, Sheephead, seahare) though Monterey is about their northern-most limit.

The State implemented several MPAs in Central Coast waters several years back. Perhaps seeing these species is a result of those protections (rockfish and sheephead have been historically overfished).

On another note, there has been a trend of southern CA species shifting their range north as surface sea temperatures increase. So, maybe the Garibaldis will come.

 

[Ben_ca]

It might be an Olive Rockfish... You'll see a bunch of those in Lobos...

Calico Bass

Olive Rockfish

Pt-lobos.com fish ID page - Has all the common species to Pt Lobos (Fish Tab, Rockfish...)

 

[pacificgal]

Maybe an olive? The tail was black though, not yellow, and the caudal fin was like a bass, straight at the end. I'll have to ask my dive buddies, they may be better at identification (even tho they weren't from around here, lol)

 

[ScubaVideo]

Use to see Sheephead in Monastery all the time.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I saw something that looked like a calico bass at Lobos this past weekend, anyone else see one there? It's really weird, recently I've been seeing stuff I had only ever seen in So. Cal., Hilton's Aolid, sea hares, sheepshead, and now a calico bass. Can't wait till the garibaldis get here!

I've got 1500+ dives in the Monterey area.

Hilton's Aeolid is not uncommon in Monterey. I see them every
25 dives or so. It varies from year to year. I remember that one
year there were LOTS of them.

Sea Hares are very occasional. < 1 per 100 dives.

Sheepshead are quite common inside Pt. Lobos State Natural
Reserve ("old Pt. Lobos") (more than half my dives on rocky
substrate), but uncommon
elsewhere (< 1 per 100 dives). I suspect that's because they are
fished out elsewhere, but will hopefully come back in the areas
protected by the MLPA.

Calico bass? I can't ever remember seeing one. Olive rockfish
are common on the right habitat.


Chuck

 

[spoolin01]

It might be an Olive Rockfish... You'll see a bunch of those in Lobos...

Calico Bass

Olive Rockfish

Pt-lobos.com fish ID page - Has all the common species to Pt Lobos (Fish Tab, Rockfish...)

We see those farther north (Salt Point) as well - but have always known them as Kelp Bass. Bing says Calico is another name for the same species, didn't know that...

 

[Ben_ca]

We see those farther north (Salt Point) as well - but have always known them as Kelp Bass. Bing says Calico is another name for the same species, didn't know that...

Which one? The top or the bottom?

 

[pacificgal]

By the way, the one I saw at Lobos was BIG. About 2 ft.

 

[fisheater]

I'm no expert (just a two year ReefChecker), but I differentiate kelp bass (aka Calico bass) from olive rockfish by seeing how far down the body the mottled pattern goes. Olives are mottled only on top. Kelp bass are mottled all over.

Any experts available to confirm/refute/refine this distinction?