Yelloweye Rockfish
Yelloweye rockfish are a deep-water species found along British Columbia's Pacific coast, living on rocky structure from moderate depths down to over 500 metres.
They grow large and live extraordinarily long — over a century — which makes them both a memorable catch and a species that can't absorb much fishing pressure.
BC anglers targeting bottom fish from boats encounter them regularly, and a big yelloweye is one of the more striking fish you'll pull up from the deep.
Scientific Name: Sebastes ruberrimus
Also known as Red snapper, Pacific red snapper, red rock cod, yellow belly
- Bright orange-red body with a lighter lateral line and black-tipped fins; adults are vivid, juveniles darker red with two white stripes along the sides.
- Unmistakable bright yellow eyes — the feature that gives the species its name and separates it from other BC rockfish at a glance.
- Several small spines on the head; large adults develop a raspy bony ridge across the top of the skull.
- One of the largest rockfish on the BC coast — can reach 90 cm and around 11 kg, with females typically running bigger than males.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to BC's Pacific coast; range runs from the Gulf of Alaska south through British Columbia's inside and outside waters.
- COSEWIC recognizes two Canadian populations: the Pacific Ocean outside waters (open coast) and the Pacific Ocean inside waters (Georgia Basin, including the Strait of Georgia and surrounding inlets).
- Lives on complex rocky bottom — reefs, pinnacles, boulder fields — from about 15 m down to 550 m, though most are found between 90 and 180 m in BC.
- Highly site-faithful; individuals rarely stray far from a particular rock pile or reef structure, sometimes spending their entire lives in one area.
Key Locations
- Strait of Georgia (inside waters population) — rocky reefs and pinnacles throughout the strait, though this population is under significant conservation pressure.
- Johnstone Strait and the northern BC inside passage — complex rocky bottom holds fish, and this area marks the northern edge of the inside waters population.
- BC's open Pacific coast (outside waters population) — rocky structure along the continental shelf from the west coast of Vancouver Island northward into Haida Gwaii waters.
- Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) — offshore banks and rocky structure along the outside coast are part of the open-coast population's range.
Specific Spots
- Rocky pinnacles and submerged reefs hold the most fish — yelloweye sit tight to hard structure and rarely move far from it.
- Drop-offs where rocky bottom transitions to deeper water concentrate fish; work the edge rather than flat bottom.
- Boulder fields and broken rock in 90–180 m of water are the sweet spot for BC recreational anglers; shallower fish are rare and often juveniles.
- Inside waters fish (Strait of Georgia, Johnstone Strait area) tend to be found on the same types of rocky structure but in somewhat shallower reaches than open-coast fish.
Yelloweye Rockfish FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Yelloweye Rockfish?
Cut herring and whole squid are the go-to baits; rig them on a two-hook dropper loop setup above a heavy sinker (often 200–400 g) to get to the bottom in deep water and current.
When is the best time to fish for Yelloweye Rockfish?
Summer (June–September), the main season for offshore and coastal bottom fishing in BC; calmer seas make accessing deep rocky structure more practical. Spring (April–May), fishing picks up as weather improves and boats can reach offshore reefs; fish are present year-round but access is weather-dependent.
How do you catch Yelloweye Rockfish?
BC anglers target yelloweye almost exclusively from boats, drifting or anchoring over known rocky structure and fishing bait or heavy jigs straight down to the bottom. Electric reels are common given the depths involved.
What do Yelloweye Rockfish eat?
Adults eat smaller fish, including other rockfish, herring, and similar baitfish, as well as crustaceans and squid. Cut herring or whole squid on a dropper rig is the standard bait choice because it directly imitates what yelloweye are already eating at depth.
Where do Yelloweye Rockfish live?
Native to BC's Pacific coast; range runs from the Gulf of Alaska south through British Columbia's inside and outside waters. COSEWIC recognizes two Canadian populations: the Pacific Ocean outside waters (open coast) and the Pacific Ocean inside waters (Georgia Basin, including the Strait of Georgia and surrounding...
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