Tiger Rockfish Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Bright pink to reddish-orange body crossed by five dark brown to black vertical bars
• Bars run from the back down toward the belly, giving a distinct "tiger-striped" pattern
• Large, prominent eyes relative to head size
• Deep, robust body with tall dorsal fin spines
• Fins often show a red or pink wash matching the body
• Typically 12-18 inches long

Common look-alikes

• China rockfish: has a bold yellow stripe running along the lateral line on a dark body, rather than vertical bars on a pink base
• Quillback rockfish: shows irregular blotches rather than clean, evenly spaced vertical bars
• Redbanded rockfish: also barred and pink-red, but the bars are narrower and the body shape is more slender; best separated by depth and range, as redbanded rockfish favor deeper water

Where you'll see one

Tiger rockfish are solitary, secretive fish that hide in rocky crevices, caves, and steep rock walls at depths of roughly 60 to 300 feet, ranging from central California to the Bering Sea, and are rarely seen out in the open away from cover.