Calico Surfperch can be discerned from Redtails by the faint vertical bars that look more like mottling than stripes and the fact that their spiny dorsal rays aren’t noticeably longer than the soft rays.

Species: Calico Surfperch (Ampistichus koelzi)
Location: Chetco River South Jetty, Brookings-Harbor, OR
Date: September 12, 2011

Misidentification is to fishing what the New England Patriots are to football: an unfortunate everyday reality that can’t be ignored.

Fortunately, just like tonight’s Patriots’ Super Bowl loss, good can get a foothold in the fight against evil and make that unfortunate everyday reality just a little quieter.

Every year, Oregonians flock to the South Coast to fish for “pinkfins” near the mouths of the Rogue, Umpqua, and Winchuk Rivers. Ask almost any angler, and they’re fishing for Redtail Surfperch. While the majority of “pinkfins” are actually Redtails, a substantial minority are Calico Surfperch — an entirely different species.

Calico Surfperch
Redtail Surfperch

 

 

 

 

 

This post won’t be long, but I hope it is helpful. Where their range overlaps (Southern Oregon and Northern California), these two species often get lumped into the same “pinkfin” category. Just use this comparison to be able to tell they’re not.

That is, don’t just avoid being a part of the problem; be a part of the solution.

***

I caught my first Calico off of the jetty in Brookings. After striking out for Striped Surfperch on the river side, we followed the Biblical example and threw to the other side. I landed a Redtail and a Calico in an hour, proving these two species not only overlap ranges but overlap the same feeding grounds at the same time.

Since I thought they were different-looking enough, I took a photo with my disposable camera. After processing and comparing them side-by-side and doing some online research, I was able to tell the two “pinkfins” apart.

Hopefully, now you can too.

If not, one other way to tell Calico Surfperch from Redtail Surfperch is that the Steve Wozniak has never caught a Calico, while I have.

#SpeciesQuest // #CaughtOvgard

Read the next entry in #SpeciesQuest here: Species #38 — Red Irish Lord.

 

125 Replies

  1. fantastic put up, very informative. I ponder why the other specialists of this sector do not realize this. You should proceed your writing. I’m confident, you have a huge readers’ base already!

  2. Hey! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a group of volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!

  3. With havin so much content do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright violation? My blog has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any solutions to help reduce content from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.

  4. hey there and thank you for your info – I’ve certainly picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise several technical points using this site, as I experienced to reload the web site many times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and can damage your quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for a lot more of your respective interesting content. Make sure you update this again very soon..

  5. hi!,I like your writing so much! percentage we be in contact extra about your article on AOL? I require a specialist on this house to resolve my problem. May be that’s you! Having a look forward to look you.

  6. I’ve been browsing online more than three hours nowadays, but I by no means found any interesting article like yours. It is lovely worth enough for me. In my view, if all web owners and bloggers made excellent content as you did, the web will likely be much more useful than ever before. “Learn to see in another’s calamity the ills which you should avoid.” by Publilius Syrus.

  7. My coder is trying to convince me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on various websites for about a year and am concerned about switching to another platform. I have heard excellent things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress content into it? Any help would be really appreciated!

  8. I would like to thnkx for the efforts you have put in writing this blog. I am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own blog now. Really the blogging is spreading its wings quickly. Your write up is a good example of it.

  9. I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one today..

  10. I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my web site 🙂

  11. What Is ZenCortex? ZenCortex is a natural supplement that promotes healthy hearing and mental tranquility. It’s crafted from premium-quality natural ingredients, each selected for its ability to combat oxidative stress and enhance the function of your auditory system and overall well-being.

  12. What Is LeanBiome?LeanBiome is a natural weight loss supplement that reverses bacterial imbalance in your gut microbiome with the help of nine science-backed lean bacteria species with Greenselect Phytosome, a caffeine-free green tea extract crafted with patented

  13. I’ve learn some excellent stuff here. Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how so much attempt you place to create such a fantastic informative website.

  14. Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such great info being shared freely out there.

  15. What i don’t understood is if truth be told how you are not actually a lot more well-favored than you may be right now. You’re so intelligent. You recognize thus significantly in relation to this topic, made me for my part consider it from numerous various angles. Its like men and women don’t seem to be fascinated unless it is something to do with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding. All the time maintain it up!

  16. I’m really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Great work!

  17. I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Excellent work!

  18. I was reading some of your blog posts on this website and I think this internet site is rattling informative ! Keep on putting up.

  19. Hello, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, excellent blog!

  20. I’ve been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your website?

  21. Hey very cool web site!! Man .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your site and take the feeds also…I’m happy to find numerous useful info here in the post, we need work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .

  22. Hello! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting fed up of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

  23. I keep listening to the rumor speak about receiving boundless online grant applications so I have been looking around for the best site to get one. Could you advise me please, where could i find some?

  24. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something which I feel I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very vast for me. I’m taking a look ahead in your next submit, I¦ll try to get the hold of it!

  25. Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for! “Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.” by John Henry Cardinal Newman.

  26. Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You obviously know what youre talking about, why throw away your intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something informative to read?

  27. My spouse and I stumbled over here different web address and thought I should check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to finding out about your web page for a second time.

  28. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?

  29. Awsome info and right to the point. I am not sure if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you people have any thoughts on where to employ some professional writers? Thanks 🙂

  30. I am not certain the place you are getting your info, however good topic. I needs to spend a while studying much more or working out more. Thanks for excellent information I was in search of this info for my mission.

  31. With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my agreement. Do you know any methods to help prevent content from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.

  32. I want to express appreciation to the writer just for rescuing me from this particular incident. After researching throughout the the web and getting things which were not productive, I was thinking my life was gone. Being alive minus the strategies to the problems you have sorted out by means of your main guideline is a critical case, and those that might have in a wrong way affected my career if I had not noticed your blog post. Your own personal mastery and kindness in taking care of all the details was excellent. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I had not come across such a solution like this. I can also at this moment look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot so much for this skilled and amazing help. I will not hesitate to suggest the sites to anybody who desires recommendations on this issue.

  33. It is really a nice and helpful piece of info. I am satisfied that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.

  34. I’ve read some good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you place to make this kind of fantastic informative web site.

  35. Hey I am so glad I found your blog page, I really found you by mistake, while I was researching on Google for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a fantastic post and a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to go through it all at the moment but I have saved it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the excellent job.

  36. Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!

  37. What i do not understood is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you might be now. You are so intelligent. You realize thus considerably relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from so many varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it is one thing to accomplish with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. Always maintain it up!

  38. Great post and straight to the point. I don’t know if this is truly the best place to ask but do you people have any ideea where to hire some professional writers? Thank you 🙂

  39. certainly like your web-site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the reality on the other hand I will certainly come again again.

  40. Hello! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My weblog looks weird when viewing from my iphone4. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to resolve this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. With thanks!

  41. Have you ever thought about writing an e-book or guest authoring on other websites? I have a blog based upon on the same information you discuss and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my visitors would enjoy your work. If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e-mail.

  42. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thanks a lot

  43. I enjoy you because of your entire efforts on this web site. My niece delights in doing research and it’s easy to see why. My spouse and i know all regarding the compelling means you produce advantageous strategies by means of this blog and therefore increase participation from website visitors on the theme plus our daughter is in fact starting to learn a great deal. Have fun with the remaining portion of the new year. You’re the one carrying out a powerful job.

  44. Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossips and internet and this is really frustrating. A good site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web-site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can’t find it.

  45. That is very interesting, You’re a very professional blogger. I have joined your feed and stay up for in quest of extra of your great post. Additionally, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!

  46. I am now not sure the place you are getting your info, however great topic. I needs to spend a while studying much more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic info I was looking for this information for my mission.

  47. Appreciating the persistence you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  48. I’m impressed, I have to say. Actually hardly ever do I encounter a blog that’s each educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you’ve gotten hit the nail on the head. Your idea is excellent; the problem is something that not sufficient people are talking intelligently about. I am very comfortable that I stumbled across this in my search for one thing regarding this.

  49. That is the suitable blog for anybody who needs to find out about this topic. You notice a lot its almost arduous to argue with you (not that I truly would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just nice!

  50. Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?

  51. I have read a few good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how much effort you put to create such a wonderful informative site.

  52. Very nice post and right to the point. I am not sure if this is actually the best place to ask but do you folks have any thoughts on where to get some professional writers? Thank you 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *