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Sea Raven
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Typical Size 8-11" (1/4-3/4 lbs.) |
Decent Size 12-14" (1-2 lbs.) |
Nice Size 15-18" (2-5 lb.) |
Record 25.2" (7 lbs. 1 oz.) |
Awards Program Qualifying Size N/A |
DESCRIPTION : The biggest and ugliest sculpin you can catch in our waters is the sea raven. Easily distinguished from the other sculpins by it's ragged fins and fleshy tabs hanging from it's chin. Sea ravens vary in color quite a bit depending upon the surroundings they are caught from but generally are reddish brown with numerous darker blotches. The underbelly is soft and a pale yellow-brown in color. The upper portion is rough like sandpaper. Like other sculpins, the sea raven has an enormous head and mouth for it's general size but is more stout all around than other sculpins. Pectoral fins are short and fan like similar to the other sculpins. When caught, sea ravens fill themselves with air and water like a puffer fish - obviously a protection instinct. |
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| HABITS & HABITAT : |
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Sea Raven are most pletiful in our backyard - from Massachusetts Bay north and eastward to the
Grand Banks. However, a few individuals have been caught as far north as Labrador in Canada and
as far south as Chesapeak Bay. They prefer rocky areas and heavy structure locations. Mostly an
offshore fish, sea ravens are common in waters of 200-300 feet but can be caught in waters as shallow
as 50 feet to as deep as 500 feet. They do not tolerate warm water, with the upper range being around
55 degrees and they can handle water temperatures at the 32 degree point quite well. A voracious feeders,
sea ravens can consume fish nearly as large as they are. Their diet is varied and consists of just
about anything that crosses their path that is larger than them. Crabs, lobsters, clams, fish, squid,
shrimp, sea urchins, sand dollars, and starfish all are considered dinner to sea ravens.
Sea Raven can be found both inshore and offshore, depending upon water temperature and food availability, but don't really appear anywhere in great numbers as they are considered a solitary, versus schooling, fish. Spawning takes place offshore in the fall with the eggs staying on the bottom and not hatching until spring. One mature female sea raven lays about 10,000 eggs in separate clusters of approximately 300 each. Many of these eggs are eaten by bottom-feeding fish, even including other sea ravens. |
| FISHING FOR SEA RAVEN : |
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No one specifically targets sea raven when they go fishing. They are considered "by-catch" when
targeting species like cod or haddock. If you do catch one, you will notice that, because they fill
up with so much air and water when caught, upon release they tend to float belly up drifting helplessly
and at the mercy of sea gulls and other predators. Although edible, no one I know has ever eaten sea
raven. On rod and reel, they give little resistence, feeling like extra weight on your line.
Hooks and baits of all shapes and sizes will successfully catch sea raven and they can be caught on
the most simple of rigging.
Sea Raven are not known to take artificial lures, although I can imagine that it is possible to entice a few with small jigs and shrimp teasers. The only sea raven I've seen taken on artificial lures are "foul hooked,"and incidental to fishing for other species such as cod. Fishing for sea raven is neither important commercially, nor recreationally, mainly due to their small size, general ugliness, and high the high preparation it would take to get any meat from them. Nonetheless, those caught in the nets of commerial fishermen are often cast aside and used for lobster bait. |
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