Photo: Izuzuki / CC BY 2.5 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sebastes inermis
Dark-banded Rockfish
Saltwater
About this species
A small, big-eyed rockfish that is a hugely popular light-tackle target along Korea's rocky shores, especially at night. It hovers near reefs and seaweed, ambushing shrimp and small fish. Tiny soft-plastic jig heads, called bolagging, worked slowly draw steady bites.
Season
123456789101112
Depth
5 – 50 m
Habitat Spots
NearshoreReefHarbor
Fishing Methods
LureFloat
Bait & Rig
Tiny 0.5–2 g jig heads with 1–2 inch soft plastics (bolagging/mebaringu), or small float rigs with shrimp or live fish near reef structure at night.
Edibility & Taste
Excellent; the sweet, mild white flesh is popular for salt-grilling, simmering and tempura in Korea and Japan.
Similar Species
Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii, ureok) is much larger and darker with a more pronounced spine pattern; size difference alone is the easiest field mark.
Record Weight
0.7 kg