Possible Kelp Greenling?

result of a drunken hookup between an olive and a whitefish

i think its a giant kelpfish, but maybe a juvenile, especially considering a forked tail.

That is an Atka mackerel.  You were close to guess greenling, as it is at least in the Hexagrammidae family (along with greenlings and lingcod). 

That is an Atka mackerel.  You were close to guess greenling, as it is at least in the Hexagrammidae family (along with greenlings and lingcod).

I was thinking that too, but are they really this far south?

-Allen

That is an Atka mackerel.  You were close to guess greenling, as it is at least in the Hexagrammidae family (along with greenlings and lingcod).

I was thinking that too, but are they really this far south?

-Allen

I'll answer my own question ... yes, they are sometimes (rarely) found as far south as Redondo Beach.

-Allen

I just looked up atka mackeral and that looks pretty darn close. It wasn't as yellow in some of the pictures I saw, but the shape of the body, dorsal fins, tail, and pattern look really really close. I think it's still in my friend's freezer, he probably didn't want to eat it since he wasn't sure what it was. We also caught a few 6" baby halibut near the jetty, but looking back, they could have been sand dabs. We didn't want to risk getting in trouble though  . Thanks for the help!

Never even heard of an atka mackerel.

awesome! this has been on my mind all day! I know, I'm lame...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atka_Mackerel_caught_near_Homer_AK.jpg

ruben

Be careful!!!

If that were a greenling (as you originally thought) keeping it would have been illegal as it looks to be less than 12".

really cool fish.  always like the strange things.

Looks like a Barred Sand Bass.

This time of year, there is only one thing it could be.

Crab bait!

NotaSeal