Keep what you catch and avoid rockfish if you attain the daily limit. Maximum ages attained for some species can be as high as 150 years. Because of their slow growth, rockfish can not be harvested at the rates fast-growing stocks such as salmon can withstand. These fish are found near rocky reefs, in inlets and in shallow rock piles. A quillback is easily identified by its high dorsal fin with deep notches between the spine, large mouth and compressed body.
Colouring is brown and yellow with orange-brown speckling on the lower back.
The fins are dark, except for a yellow streak through the spiny dorsal fin. In keeping with their name, these fish sport bright yellow eyes. They are more commonly known as Red Snapper. They will take bait such as herring but are also taken on jigs. A spine grows above each eye socket, and ridges grow behind the eyes.