What a Butterball

photo: E. Loury

There’s just something mouthwateringly adorable about this little butterfish, caught during a shallower NMFS trawl in Southern California.  The Pacific pompano (Peprilus simillimus), is “a very-mild, good eating fish,” says the Pier Fishing in California website, “but only the largest fish have enough meat to make it worth the effort.” Still, the website goes on to call them “an attractive little fish.”  I have to agree – plus, the name “pompano” is just so darn fun to say.