Fish ID help - Santa Cruz island

[alaity47]

We had one vote on the boat for ocean whitefish based on coloration, but the fish as a whole (and the anal fin in particular) seems to be the wrong shape. The fish shape looks more like an opaleye, but then the coloration is off. Any ideas? Mutant opaleye? Fat amputee whitefish? Some bizarre coloration of perch?

He was swimming around all by himself, picking at kelp in about 20fsw at Santa Cruz island.

(Oh, and that's a hook hanging out of the corner of his mouth, not another weird feature of the fish)

 

[PhotoTJ]

A mutant perch of some kind. Not a whitefish.

 

[scottfiji]

wow, never seen anything like that. Maybe Dr bill has?

definitely not a whitefish, I don't think its a perch either.

It has more of a croaker/drum/sea chub shape (e.g. - opaleye, halfmoon, or black croaker). maybe its a mutation.

Scott