I do not know how they breed, but adults must come to Rocky Point to spawn and leave their fry.
They might make short spurts up the Sea of Cortez (RP) and to the estuaries and then back down to deeper and cooler waters. But they must arrive, May and June is my guess. I still do not see shore fishers daily, which would give one a true picture of what comes to Rocky Point to Breed. They are not targeted by locals.
Regarding spawning, Roosterfish, being Jacks, are pelagic spawners, and not substrate spawners. This means that their eggs float freely in the water column after spawning, and then they hatch into planktonic larvae which continue drifting on the open water for weeks after hatching.
I'll agree that it's possible that adults might migrate toward Penasco to spawn, but again, I would think that if this was happening then more adults would be caught in the northern parts of the Sea when they are in the area (especially by guys like Scott and Doug who are out there fishing 250 days out of the year :razz
.
I've fished shore from La Choya out to La Pinta during every season of the year over the past 20 years, and in that time I've only ever caught 2 of these micro 10 inch guys (both in one 20 minute timeframe in one spot)
I think it is more likely that the eggs (or the larvae) ride the tide/wind currents north and drift into Penasco waters. This would make Penasco a nursery area for the young, who then migrate back south as they grow.
Perhaps the small ones we've seen in Penasco could grow larger and remain local, but maybe Kenny's cast-netting locals are reducing the population of small ones to the point that they never get to grow up. Or, maybe the young hang around Penasco for a month or so after hatching, and then boogy back south for deeper waters.
Perhaps I have a thesis subject for a Master's degree in Marine Biology, although the thought of going back to college in my 40's makes me {shudder}, and frankly it's not worth it to me to lay out 50-60 grand to answer this question... :razz:
