It occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean The kelp greenling was first formally described in 1810 as Labrax decagrammus by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas with its type locality given as Cape St. Elias in Alaska.

[2] The males are gray to brownish olive in color, dotted with irregular blue spots over the anterior half to two-thirds of their body.

[2] The kelp greenling is found in the eastern pacific Ocean where its range extends from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to La Jolla in southern California.

[2] Kelp greenlings feed on crustaceans, polychaete worms, brittle stars, mollusks, and small fishes.

They are easily caught around rocky cliffs and kelp beds, and respond to a wide variety of natural and artificial baits.