Saltwater · Year-round; best from late winter through spring around rocks and kelp
Black Perch
Embiotoca jacksoni
A thick-lipped surfperch nicknamed 'buttermouth', with colours that vary from jet black through olive to yellow-brown depending on its home reef. Like every surfperch it is viviparous and gives birth to live young. It is a dependable year-round fish of West Coast rocks, jetties and pilings.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Thick, fleshy lips — the 'buttermouth' feature
- Variable colour from black through olive to yellow-brown, sometimes with dark bars
- A patch of noticeably larger scales at the base of the pectoral fin
- Deep, compressed perch body with large scales
- Yellowish tail and fins on some colour forms
Habits
- Viviparous like all surfperch — females give birth to live young
- Picks mussels, crabs, shrimp and worms from rocks, pilings and kelp
- Colour shifts to match the local reef and kelp it lives in
- Adults hold small territories around rock and piling structure
- Feeds mainly by day, working the wash around structure
Distribution
Where to find them
- Jetty rock along the Southern and Central California coast
- Kelp edges off rocky points in California and Oregon
- Pier pilings over rock and sand
Where they live
How to catch them
Bait fishing around rocks, pilings and kelp Rock fishing
Rig: Small strong hooks on a light surf or Carolina rig, bait tucked close to rocks, pilings and kelp edges
Bait/lure: Shrimp, crab and mussel baits
Key tip: Black perch graze the structure itself — keep the bait within a foot or two of rock or piling, not out on open sand.
Surf and jetty fishing with small hooks Rock fishing
Rig: Light surf outfit with small hooks and light weight, worked in the wash along jetty rock and mixed rock-sand surf
Bait/lure: Sand crab, shrimp and mussel
Key tip: Fish the white water right against the rocks on a rising tide, when perch move in to feed.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Medium-light 7-8 ft spinning rod
- Line: 8-12 lb mono or braid
- Terminal: Size 4-6 hooks, small sinkers, light Carolina rigs
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
9' 5-weight fly rod outfit
≈ US$180-260
Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.
Flies · Budget
Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)
≈ US$25-40
Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.
Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.
Typical size
Common 8-12 in, about 0.5-1.5 lb (0.2-0.7 kg); large fish to about 15 in (38 cm)
On the table
Fair to good — firm flesh for its size, best eaten fresh; many are released.
Similar species
Walleye SurfperchWalleye surfperch is bright silver with oversized eyes and schools over open sand; black perch is dark and thick-lipped and lives tight to rocks, kelp and pilings
Barred SurfperchBarred surfperch is a bigger, bronze surf-zone fish with yellow-bronze bars and thin lips; black perch is smaller, thick-lipped and tied to rocky structureRegulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
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