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Cowcod
Cowcod occur from Guadalupe Island , Baja California, to Usal, Califronia. This fish is typically found in deeper water , from 60feet (young), down to 1,200 feet, with most sportcaught fish found in the 200 to 600 foot range. They are found over rocky bottoms, particularly where there are steep drop offs. Like all rockfish, cowcod give birth to live young. They are produced in large numbers and are about .5 inch in length and typically live in shallower water, moving deeper as they age. Rockfish are very slow growing and do not reproduce until they are between four and nine years old. Maximum age varies from 20 to 100 years. The next large rockfish you catch, just may be older than you!!. Cowcod eat many fish, octopus and squid. They will eat other rockfish and sometimes are caught after having attacked a small rockfish already being reeled in. Good baits include live or frozen squid and live or salted anchovies.They can also be caught on metal and plastic jigs. The large size of the Cowcod makes it one of the most valued of the rockfishes. The largest recorded Cowcod was 37 inches and 28.5 pounds, with most being 20 pounds or less. The fish in the photo was caught while aboard the Predator off San Simeon, California. It was caught using 12 pound test line and frozen squid, from a depth of 250 feet and weighed 16 pounds.
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