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Historically, ocean whitefish were a food source for local Native Americans, as otoliths from this species have been found in middens at San Clemente Island (Leet et al. 2004).  Over the last century, they have played an important role in local commercial fisheries with landings peaking at 368,000 lbs in 1926.  However, this fishery declined through the 1940s and has yet to regain significant landings.  This decline is thought to be a disinterest by the market rather than an actual decline in available stocks (Leet et al. 2004).  However, the commercial landings in Baja California Sur have recently increased (Elorduy-Garay & Caraveo-Patino 1994, Sala et al. 2004), with C. princeps as well as C. affinis having recently been the most frequently caught species in La Paz Bay, B.C.S., and landings in this area have comprised almost 90% of all landings in Mexico (Elorduy-Garay & Caraveo-Patino 1994).  The California recreational landings have substantially increased over the last four decades (Dotson & Charter 2003, Leet et al. 1992, NOAA 2003, CFIS 2004).  Apparently some of the largest individuals are often found off Santa Rosa Island (Love 1996) as well as Cabo Colonet, B.C.N.

There are mixed opinions about the quality of ocean whitefish meat.  Some regard this species as an excellent food fish, and claim that it can be served as sashimi. However, the occasional bitter-tasting individual has left people puzzled, and has caused some folks to keep their distance altogether. This occasional “sour apple” might be the reason for the lack of a significant local commercial fishery.

Current Regs (as of March 2005)
For the Southern California Management Area 2005

Season:
March-September

Depth limits:
March-June 180-360ft only
July-September only in less than 240ft

Bag limit: 10 per person

Size limit: none

 
How to Catch ’em
Alright, if you want to charge out and stroke the whities, then here’s how it is: If you’re fishing the islands, stick to the reef edges near the bottom (sometimes a bit up/off), which can be anywhere from 40-120ft. I fish a squid strip on a slide (Carolina) with 12-20lb and a thin shank light circle #1 or 1/0. Trust me on the circle. I used to hate’em, but you’ll land more if you do it right, i.e. wind fast on the bite, rather than setting. You’ll get bit more if you keep the leader fairly long, but then you’ll have to be more in tune to what’s happening with the fish’s end, which is why I prefer a graphite stick. Often times they’re on the deeper side of 40-120ft, so I usually fish a medium-heavy freshwater graphite with a bit of length, and you want a decent gear ratio to make that initial fast winding count if you’re fishing the circles.  Of course most folks just fish a dropper loop on heavy line with a big stupid everything and land a ton. Whatever.

 Oh, and watch out, they don’t call’em razor-gilled for nothing!

Wanna see local sportboat landings?

Check out sportfishingreport.com.

 
Questions/Comments
Find your local deckhand, fisheries biologist, or proctologist, depending on the question. Or I suppose you could email me (preferably not for a proctology question, though).