Bycatch, a term that applies to commercial fishers catching fish other than the species they were targeting, applies to my efforts on the homestead as well. I’ve had a few unintended catches that, while falling short of providing food, have at least contributed to our education.
One day while fishing off the rocks, I cast out over the edge of the shelf and allowed my lure to sink down into the deeper water before reeling in. I hoped to either tempt a salmon hunting the darker depths, or possibly attract a halibut. Instead, I caught a fish I’d never seen before. I took a photo and released it. I checked my reference books, but found no answers. A few days later I went to the library, and found photos that lead me to believe the fish is a ronquil.
As far as I can identify it, this is a ronquil, about 6 inches long (Photo: Mark Zeiger).
