Cabezon
Know your fish
Cabezon
Also calledcab, marbled sculpin
Scorpaenichthys marmoratus
Typical size:35–70 cm, 1–6 kg
- Broad, flattened head with a skin flap over each eye
- Marbled red, brown or green; no scales, smooth skin
- Fan-like pectoral fins; big mouth, no big teeth
Looks like: Lingcod is long with canine teeth; other sculpins are small (under 25 cm).
0255075100125150
cm
OK to keep
- 8/day under the sculpin limit everywhere in BC; no minimum size
- Never eat the roe (eggs), it is toxic
Must release
- Small fish under 35 cm are worth releasing; there is no legal minimum
Best months
April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Fishing licences across Canada
Rig to tie
- 1Main line 20–30 lb braid
- 2Swivel Size 4 barrel swivel
- 3Leader 20 lb fluorocarbon, 60 cm
- 4Jig head 1–2 oz round head, 3/0 hook (1/2–1 oz for greenling)
- 5Soft plastic 4–5 in curl tail or paddle tail, dark, motor oil or white
How to tie and fish it
Tie it:Tie braid to swivel with a Palomar. Tie leader to swivel and to the jig head with an improved clinch. Thread the plastic straight so it does not spin.
Fish it:Cast to the kelp edge or boulder seam, let it hit bottom, lift 30 cm and drop. Hits come on the drop. Set hard and lift the fish off the rocks immediately.