NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => Fish Talk => Fish ID sub-forum => Topic started by: Jeremy on August 17, 2015, 02:39:32 PM

Title: How common are Blacksmiths?
Post by: Jeremy on August 17, 2015, 02:39:32 PM
I just saw them for the first time over the weekend.  Around 20FOW, mixed into a school of blues.  Looks like a hybrid between a blue rockfish and a garibaldi.  I was tempted to take one, but the big scales reminded me of a perch, so I passed.

In the ~100 hours of bottom time I have on the central coast, I haven't seen them before.  A sign of warmer waters?  Or maybe I'm just blind?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromis_punctipinnis

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Chromis_punctipinnis.jpg/220px-Chromis_punctipinnis.jpg)
Title: Re: How common are Blacksmiths?
Post by: PISCEAN on August 17, 2015, 02:55:36 PM
they are very common in SoCal, especially at the islands.
Could be that warmer water temps have brought them farther north this year.
Title: Re: How common are Blacksmiths?
Post by: BigJim on August 17, 2015, 03:38:24 PM
I see em off and on up here...have seen more of them and halfmoons in the past 12 months or so but have seen them before...

  http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=40108.0

I put em in the same category as sheephead and opaleye and calicos...SoCal transplants that if you spend enough time in the water up here you will see...

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim
Title: Re: How common are Blacksmiths?
Post by: EWB on August 17, 2015, 08:19:56 PM
how do they taste?
Title: Re: How common are Blacksmiths?
Post by: BigJim on August 18, 2015, 08:46:52 AM
how do they taste?

Meh.

I haven't shot another one and that was three years ago.

 :smt005

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim
Title: Re: How common are Blacksmiths?
Post by: Jeremy on August 18, 2015, 11:01:54 AM
I see em off and on up here...have seen more of them and halfmoons in the past 12 months or so but have seen them before...

  http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=40108.0

I put em in the same category as sheephead and opaleye and calicos...SoCal transplants that if you spend enough time in the water up here you will see...

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

Glad I didn't take one then, if you haven't eaten one since!  I also saw a school of MASSIVE opaleye near the same spot.  Much bigger than I've seen in SoCal.