Ocean Whitefish!!!

I have been fishing/spearfishing Monterey for over 10yrs and am starting to notice I am catching more and more ocean whitefish. I had never caught any, seen any, or heard of anyone catching them until about 2 years ago. Wondering if everyone else is noticing this? I love them they taste great! Maybe we should add them to the list on AOTY. They usually put up a better fight compared to similar size rockfish.

Bushy caught one @MBK while we were fishing in early May
Some of my friends who dive have also seen some around the same area

Yes I did.  I have caught them in previous years going back about 8-10 years.  Also caught a number of Calico Bass (Always at that diving spot between the CG pier and Cannery Row kelps.) I think the incidence is on the rise.  Also, fine-scale triggerfish.  All these socal starting to get a little more common up here. 

Bring on the YT and WSB!!!

Bushy

Yes I did.  I have caught them in previous years going back about 8-10 years.  Also caught a number of Calico Bass (Always at that diving spot between the CG pier and Cannery Row kelps.) I think the incidence is on the rise.  Also, fine-scale triggerfish.  All these socal starting to get a little more common up here. 

Bring on the YT and WSB!!!

Bushy

I have speared a few calicos over the shale beds but I feel as if the whitefish are on the rise. They taste great!

The funny thing is I only catch them fishing outta MBK...they tend to like that area. I caught 4 or 5 duringthe MBK derby in May.
I think they’re pretty common—I’d guess 8 of the last 15yrs have been whitefish years. But I haven’t seen any over ~22” up here, only smaller models. After catching them in socal & SCI, I know they can get much bigger. Either way they fight really hard and taste great, so it’s always a nice surprise.

Yeah.  It's a special little corner threre by MBK....  And Adam gets to go out fishing there while he's WORKING!!  Too cool.

Bushy

They taste great!

Less filling!

I seem to catch a few each time I go out of HMB and Stinson Beach for halis, but smaller, about 12" at most. They seem to like the sandier bottoms, I don't get them when going for rockfish. Even got 2 on a stinger rig once, that was pretty weird.

I seem to catch a few each time I go out of HMB and Stinson Beach for halis, but smaller, about 12" at most. They seem to like the sandier bottoms, I don't get them when going for rockfish. Even got 2 on a stinger rig once, that was pretty weird.

That sounds more like kingfish than ocean whitefish...

They taste great!

Less filling!

it's a candy mint AND a breath mint!

I seem to catch a few each time I go out of HMB and Stinson Beach for halis, but smaller, about 12" at most. They seem to like the sandier bottoms, I don't get them when going for rockfish. Even got 2 on a stinger rig once, that was pretty weird.

That sounds more like kingfish than ocean whitefish...

this

I seem to catch a few each time I go out of HMB and Stinson Beach for halis, but smaller, about 12" at most. They seem to like the sandier bottoms, I don't get them when going for rockfish. Even got 2 on a stinger rig once, that was pretty weird.

That sounds more like kingfish than ocean whitefish...

amen

They taste great!

Less filling!

it's a candy mint AND a breath mint!

He likes it! Hey Mikey!

Double your pleasure, double your fun.
Need to look up a whitefish just in case I happen to be down that way and maybe get one.
I wouldn't have a clue.

They have pretty fins with bright yellow & blue colors