Groundfish Common to the Waters off Washington State

Arrowtooth Flounder Atheresthes stomias Arrowtooth Flounder Atheresthes stomias Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side uniform dark grayish brown to olive brown. Blind side dirty white to light gray. Scales darker at edges. Body shape elongate diamond. Caudal fin crescent-shaped. Lateral line nearly straight with slight curve over pectoral fin; accessory dorsal branch absent. Mouth very large with two rows of sharp arrow-shaped teeth. Maxillary extends below or beyond posterior margin of lower eye. No fang-like teeth on vomer (bone in roof of mouth). Left eye on dorsal ridge (visible from blind side). Anal spine absent. Preopercle C-shaped (not angular). Anterior nostril on blind side has small flap. Dorsal fin origin at middle of eye. Size: To 86 cm (34 inches) and up to 17 pounds. Range/Habitat: Eastern Bering Sea to San Pedro, southern California. North and south fo Alaska Peninsula and Aleutians. On soft bottoms from 10 to 400 fm. Most common at 150 to 220 fm.

Butter Sole Pleuronectes isolepis Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side light to dark brown or grayish brown with yellow or green mottling. Blind side white. Dorsal and anal fins edged with bright lemon yellow. Body shape oval. Caudal fin rounded to broad V-shape. Lateral line has low arch over pectoral fin; long accessory dorsal branch extends past gill cover. Mouth small. Teeth blunt, strongest on blind side. Maxillary extends below anterior part of eye. Eyes small. Space between eyes flat, narrow. Anal spine strong. Scales on eyed side rough, extend onto fin rays. Size: To 55 cm (22 inches) average about 8 inches. Range/Habitat: Southern Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands south to Ventura, southern California. O muddy or silty bottoms from 0 to 232 fm. Common in shallow water; few deeper than 50 fm.

Curlfin Sole Pleuronichthys decurrens Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side yellowish or reddish brown to dark brown or black, usually with brown or grey mottling. Fins dark; dorsal and anal fins high. Blind side white. Body deep oval shape. Caudal fin rounded. Lateral line has slight curve over pectoral fin; long accessory dorsal branch reaches to midpoint of body. Mouth small. Maxillary extends to below anterior part of lower eye. Eyes large, closely set. High, bony ridge between eyes with tubercle or blunt spine at each end. Has 2 or 3 bony tubercles on head behind upper eye. Anal spine present. First 9 to 12 dorsal fin rays are on blind side. Origin of dorsal fin level with lower corner of mouth. Size: To 37 cm (15 inches) Range/Habitat: Bering Sea to San Quintin Bay, Baja California. On soft bottoms from 4 to 291 fm. Most found above 50 fm.

Dover Sole Microstomus pacificus Dover Sole Microstomus pacificus Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side brown or grayish brown; may be mottled with darker spots. Fins blackish toward edges. Blind side smudgy off-white to dark brownish gray. Body elongate with very small scales. Caudal fin rounded. Lateral line nearly straight with short, unconnected branch near top of head which is difficult to see; accessory dorsal branch absent. Mouth very small. Maxillary extends to below anterior of lower eye. Teeth mostly on blind side; teeth flat and like incisors. Eyes large and bulging, with upper eye posterior to lower eye. Space between eyes convex. Anal spine absent. Soft, flabby body is slippery, because of large amounts of slime. Size: To 76 cm (30 inches) and up to 10 pounds. Average size in trawl catch is about 1 pound. Range/Habitat: Bering Sea and eastern Aleutian Islands to San Cristobal Bay, Baja California. On mud or sand bottoms from 5 to 750 fm.

English Sole Pleuronectes vetulus Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side usually uniform brown to olive brown but may have white speckles. Dorsal and ventral fin edges dark. Blind side white to pale yellow tinged with reddish brown. Body elongate, diamond shaped. Small head is slender and pointed. Caudal fin nearly square with slight point at center. Lateral line nearly straight with slight curve; long accessory dorsal branch. Mouth small and asymmetric. Jaws stronger on blind side. Maxillary extends to anterior edge of lower eye. High, narrow ridge between eyes. Anal spine strong. Scales smooth at anterior part of body and rough at posterior. Size: To 61 cm (24 inches). Average size in commercial catch (mostly females) is about 14 inches. Range/Habitat: Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to San Cristobal Bay, Baja California. On sand bottom from 0 to 300 fm.

Flathead Sole Hippoglossoides elassodon Caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side dark olive brown to reddish gray-brown, sometimes with dusky blotches. Blind side with white and translucent areas; dorsal and anal fins have dusky blotches. Body shape oval and very flat. Caudal fin angular with longest rays at center. Lateral line nearly straight with low arch over pectoral fin; accessory dorsal branch absent but an anterior branch runs almost to rear edge of upper eye. Mouth medium to large. Maxillary extends to below middle of lower eye. Both jaws have one row of sharp, conical teeth. Eyes large with narrow ridge and 1 – 2 rows of scales between them. Anal spine strong. Pores below and behind lower eye may be hard to see. Size: To 56 cm (22 inches) Range/Habitat: Kurile Islands north to Gulf of Anadyr. In Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, and along Aleutian Islands south to Monterey, California. On silty or muddy bottoms from 0 to 575 fm. Most common from 55 to 135 fm.

Pacific Sanddab Citharichthys sordidus Occasionally caught incidentally by commercial and recreational fishermen. Description: Left-eyed. Eyed side dull light brown, mottled with brown or black and sometimes yellow or orange. Blind side off-white to tan. Body elongate to oval, with large scales. Caudal fin only slightly rounded. Lateral line nearly straight; accessory dorsal branch absent. Mouth medium-sized with maxillary extending below anterior part of lower eye. Eyes large. Anal spine absent. Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch are 12 to 16. scale count in lateral line is 61 to 70. Size: To 41 cm (16 inches) Range/Habitat: Sea of Japan, Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and south to Cape San Lucas, Baja California. Sand or mud-sand bottom in 5 to 300 fm; most abundant in 20 to 50 fm, rare below 100 fm. Common in shallow coastal water from British Columbia to California.

Petrale Sole Eopsetta jordani Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side uniform light to dark brown. Blind side white, sometimes with pink traces. Body shape oval to round. Caudal fin longest in middle and slightly indented near edges. Lateral line with low curve over pectoral fin; accessory dorsal branch absent. Mouth large. Maxillary extends to below or lightly beyond middle of lower eye. Upper jaw with two rows of small, arrow-shaped teeth; one row of teeth on lower jaw. Posterior edge of lower jaw rounded. Eyes medium-sized with broad space between them. Anal spine strong. Size: To 70 cm (28 inches) Range/Habitat: Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands through Gulf of Alaska to Coronado Islands, northern Baja California. On sand and mud bottoms from 10 to 300 fm. Most abundant at 30 to 70 fm form April through October and at 150 to 250 fm during winter.

Rex Sole Errex zachirus Rex Sole Errex zachirus Commonly caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side uniform light brown to gray. Edges of dorsal and ventral fins dark or dusky. Pectoral fin on eyed side very long and mostly black. Blind side off-white to dusky. Body elongate. Caudal fin rounded with rays longest in center, forming a broad V. Lateral line straight. Mouth very small. Maxillary extends to below anterior edge of lower eye. Snout rounded. Eyes large with ridge between them. Anal spine strong. Scales small. Size: To 61 cm (24 inches) Range/Habitat: Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to Cedros Island, central Baja California. Widely distributed on sand and mud bottoms from 0 to 465 fm. Most abundant at about 100 to 250 fm.

Rock Sole Pleuronectes bilineatus Occasionally caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side gray to olive to dark brown or black, mottled with lighter or darker shades, sometimes spotted with yellow or red. Dorsal and anal fins have dark blotches or bars; fins may be yellowish near tail. Body thick, oval to round. Caudal fin rounded or in shape of broad V. Lateral line has high arch with flat top; accessory dorsal branch short. Mouth small with fleshy lips. Maxillary extends below anterior edge of eye. Teeth more strongly developed on blind side. Eyes small. Anal spine strong. Scales rough, tuberculate on eyed side. Size: To 61 cm (24 inches) Range/Habitat: In Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk. From Bering Strait south to Tanner Bank off southern California. On rocky, pebbly, or sandy bottoms from 0 to 315 fm. Most are caught in 20 to 40 fm.

Sand Sole Psettichthys melanostictus Occasionally caught by commercial trawlers. Description: Right-eyed. Eyed side light green or gray to brown with fine, dark brown to black speckles. Skin on eyed side has the feel of fine sandpaper. Dorsal and anal fins often have dull yellow on edges. Blind side white. Body shape elongate to oval. Caudal fin rounded. Lateral line has slight curve over pectoral fin; accessory dorsal branch short to moderate. Mouth large with large teeth. Maxillary extends below middle of lower eye. Eyes small with flat, wide space between them. Anal spine strong. First few dorsal fin rays elongate and mostly free of membrane. Size: To 63 cm (25 inches) Range/Habitat: Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to Redondo Beach, southern California. Rom near shore to 178 fm. A shallow water species usually found above 40 fm. Prefers sandy bottom.

Starry Flounder Platichthys stellatus Commonly caught by recreational fishers. Description: Belongs to right-eyed flounder family, but can also be left-eyed. Eyed side olive to dark brown or almost black. Unpaired fins white to yellow to orange with black bars. Blind side white to creamy white. Body shape oval. Caudal fin nearly square or slightly rounded. Lateral line with slight curve over pectoral fin; accessory dorsal branch absent. Mouth small. Maxillary extends below anterior part of lower eye. Eyes small with lover eye anterior to upper eye. Space between eyes flat. Head slender, pointed. Anal spine strong. Scattered rough tubercles (star-like scales) on eyed and blind sides. Size: To 91 cm (36 inches) Range/Habitat: In Sea of Japan and Sea of Okhotsk. Rom Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, and Aleutian Islands south to Los Angeles Harbor, California. On mud, sand, or gravel bottoms from 0 to 205 fm; most occur above 80 fm. Usually found near shore. Often enters brackish or fresh water, and young fish are often intertidal.