When this occurs they use extreme caution when handling this voracious predator since it is known to suddenly attack anything, even biting through wood with its teeth. Cod fishermen often find the Atlantic wolf fish in their nets in large quantities. The prey is then thoroughly chewed with its strong teeth to break it into digestible bits. When eating its prey, this fish will swallow the entire body, shells and all. The Atlantic wolf fish is grayish brown in color with dark bands and has a diet that includes starfish, mussels and sea urchins. Some species, such as the Atlantic wolf fish, have a high commercial value as a food fish. Their skin has no scales and the dorsal fin on this fish runs the length of its body. Wolf fish have rather fat heads with a large mouth filled with sharp teeth. (around seven feet or longer) but often average around three feet in length and weigh up to 20 kg (approx. They are known to reach lengths of up to 125 cm. Identification & Biology: There are nine species of wolf fish found in the Anarhichadidae family and of the Perciformes order. The fish simply snapped the handle in half.Other Names: seawolf, Atlantic wolffish, Atlantic catfish, wolf eel, or sea cat He pried the wolf-eel’s mouth open and inserted a small narrow broom handle to keep it open. An angler had caught a medium-sized fish and wanted to save his leader that was imbedded deeply in the mouth of the fish. The flesh can be filleted or steaked and cooked in almost any manner although poaching and steaming is a favorite.Ĭomments : I saw the power of a wolf-eel’s mouth once when I was fishing at the old Moss Landing Pier. To land one, use a heavy size 2 to 2/0 hook and heavy line (20- to 40-pound test) or even a wire leader.įood Value: Delicious mild flavored flesh that is white in color and dense in texture. Because of their strength and habit of retreating to rocks as soon as hooked, most that are hooked are probably not landed. Shoreline: Taken by anglers fishing in rocky areas in central and northern California.īoats: An inshore species rarely take from boats.īait and Tackle :Wolf-eels will hit almost any bait but I’ve seen them caught most often on shrimp, small crabs, mussels, abalone or on anchovy. Best bets: Port San Luis Pier, Cayucos Pier, Santa Cruz Wharf, Fort Baker Pier, Point Arena Pier, Trinidad Pier, and Citizens Dock in Crescent City. Piers : Not common at any pier but a few are taken every year from piers in central and northern California that are located near rocks or reefs. Found in deeper water south of Point Conception, in shallow water near rocks and kelp north of Point Conception. Habitat : Found in intertidal waters to a depth of 1,036 feet. Uncommon but not rare south of Point Conception. Common from Central California to Gulf of Alaska. Also reported from the Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk. Range: Northern Baja California, to Gulf of Alaska, southeastern Bering Sea to Cape Menshikof, west along the Aleutians Islands to the Krenitzen Islands. Pier-caught wolf-eels are rarely more than 2-3 feet long. Size : To 79.9 inches although there are rumors of eight-foot wolf-eels. Related to the blennies it is not an eel. Their coloring is green to gray with round dark spots on the dorsal fins and body. Identification :The body is long and eel-shaped the mouth is large and filled with large, canine-like, teeth. Called doctorfish in Alaska, lo’l, lo’ox, or st’aaxaam in British Columbia. Specie s: Anarrhichthys ocellatus (Ayres, 1855) from the Greek word anar-hichas (an ancient name for a fish which resembled this species) and the Latin word ocellatus (eye-like spots).Īlternate Names :Moray eel. Picture courtesy Outdoor Writers Association of California
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |