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Topic: Rockfish ID: Grassy Rockfish vs. Kelp Rockfish  (Read 2559 times)

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Jeremy

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Any help on ID'ing a grassy vs. kelpie? Photos online, and narrative descriptions haven't been much help for me.

Thanks!
« Last Edit: May 02, 2014, 11:14:17 AM by Jeremy »


polepole

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About the only sure fire way I know of is to post it up and let BigJim tell you what it is!!!   :smt002

-Allen


BigJim

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LOL!!

Besides grassies having much fleshier pectoral fins and stockier heads, the first gill raker on a grassy will be short and stubby and kelpies will be long and thin.

I'll find some pics here in a bit.

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

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Sin Coast

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Post a pic and I'll tell you what it is.
Photobucket Sucks!

 Team A-Hulls

~old enough to know better, young enough to not care~


BigJim

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This thread has some good info:

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=44591.0

Note that the links to DOTY pics will not work because the domain name changed from ncka to norcalkayakanglers last year.

The attached pics show the fleshy pic fins of a grassy and the gill raker difference between a grassy and kelpy.

Check out the gillrakers on the next kelpy or grassy you shoot and it will be real obvious.

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim
« Last Edit: May 02, 2014, 11:53:19 AM by BigJim »

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BigJim

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Look at charlies monster kelpy...it is huge but still obviously a kelpy...head not blunt and stocky, pec fins not thick, gill rakers long and slender:

http://doty.norcalkayakanglers.com/catches/454

Look at this mini-grassy...it is tiny, but still obviously a grassy...see the meatiness of the pec fins and the stockiness of the head?

http://doty.norcalkayakanglers.com/catches/283

Hope that helps...when in doubt post it up or PM me/rob/fuzz a pic and we'll help you out.

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

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*DOTY: 2012-5th~2014-5th~2015-4th~2016-7th~2017-4th~2018-5th~2019-5th~2020-2nd*


Jeremy

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Thanks for the help everyone! I was going to text fuzz or PM you(Jim) but thought that it would be better to flesh it out in public. I'm surprised I didn't find Charlie's request last year, and surprised that nobody scolded me for not searching harder! :)

So, in words that I understand :) :

Kelpie

Pectoral fins have similar structure to the tail fin
Head is similar to a blue
Gill rakers are slender
Hang out in water column, generally

Grassy

Pectoral fins are like lingcod pectoral fins
Head is like a black&yellow
Gill rakers are stubby like teeth
Live in holes, generally

As for IDing them underwater, is head size/shape and location the best way to go? I shot two kelpies yesterday because they were dark/mottled instead of being a bright yellow, and because their eyes had a dark iris, instead of the bright yellow I've seen on a lot of kelpies.


BigJim

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As for IDing them underwater, is head size/shape and location the best way to go? I shot two kelpies yesterday because they were dark/mottled instead of being a bright yellow, and because their eyes had a dark iris, instead of the bright yellow I've seen on a lot of kelpies.

Usually when you see a grassy head underwater (if it is a decent sized one) it looks massive...kelpies will look like kelpies.

 :smt005

And yeah grassies are more often tucked in holes and kelpies will more often be supended by their little kelp stalks...but I have seen plenty of kelpies in holes and grassies sitting out in open so...

If it is good sized, shoot it.  :smt003

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

~GS4  2010-1st~
~DOTY 2013-1st~
~T2B2 2015-1st~
*DOTY: 2012-5th~2014-5th~2015-4th~2016-7th~2017-4th~2018-5th~2019-5th~2020-2nd*


Jeremy

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Thanks! Now I just need my kelpie upgrade verified..... I'm really hurting for those 3.25 points :)


BigJim

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Thanks! Now I just need my kelpie upgrade verified..... I'm really hurting for those 3.25 points :)

Done!

 :smt006

Sincerely,

Jim

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~T2B2 2015-1st~
*DOTY: 2012-5th~2014-5th~2015-4th~2016-7th~2017-4th~2018-5th~2019-5th~2020-2nd*


piski

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Besides grassies having much fleshier pectoral fins and stockier heads, the first gill raker on a grassy will be short and stubby and kelpies will be long and thin.
[/quote]

How do they compare in taste when you bite into them alive?
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