The body and head of the cowcod are somewhat compressed. The head is very large. The mouth is large with a projecting lower jaw.
Adults are uniform pale pink to orange in color.
Young fish have four dark vertical bands on their sides, which gradually fade into dusky blotches as they increase in size. Their heads are large and spined, the dorsal fins are deeply notched, and there is an unusually wide space between the eye and the upper jaw. These three characteristics help to distinguish cowcod from other reddish colored rockfish. Cowcod are found over rocky bottoms, particularly where there are sharp, steep drop-offs. The diet of the cowcod includes mainly fishes, octopus, and squid.