Species › North America · Saltwater › Black Sea Bass

Saltwater

Black Sea Bass

Centropristis striata · Sea bass, Blackfish, Rock bass

Water temp
54–68°F
Peak season
Jun–Oct
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
10 lb 4 oz (4.65 kg)
Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata underwater 2.jpg)

Photo: Greg McFall, Gray's Reef NMS, NOS, NOAA. · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Black sea bass are stout, dark bass with a high back, a long dorsal fin with trailing filaments and electric-blue highlights that show on spawning males, which also develop a pronounced hump behind the head. Most run 1–3 lb and 12–18 inches; fish over 5 lb are trophies. They range from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with the main northern stock concentrated from Massachusetts to North Carolina and the range shifting north as the ocean warms.

Sea bass are protogynous hermaphrodites: most start life as females and the largest become males. They live on hard bottom, rock piles, wrecks and artificial reefs, where they eat crabs, shrimp, squid and small fish, and they move inshore to 30–100 feet in late spring and summer before wintering on the outer shelf. Their aggressive bite, fast action and excellent table quality make them the backbone of the Northeast's recreational bottom-fishing fleet.

Typical size1–3 lb (0.5–1.4 kg); 12–18 in
Trophy5 lb+; 7 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareExcellent — firm, white, sweet fillets

Where & when

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Southern fish bite all year, while the Mid-Atlantic and New England seasons open as fish move inshore in May–June and peak through October; federal and state seasons dictate when you can keep them.

Buzzards Bay, MABig fish on rock piles in late spring; a fly and light-tackle favoriteBlock Island Sound, RIWrecks and boulder fields produce 4–6 lb fishNew Jersey inshore wrecks, NJParty-boat capital; Shrewsbury Rocks to Cape May reef sitesChesapeake Light Tower wrecks, VADeep wrecks off Virginia Beach hold the largest sea bass

How to catch

Hi-lo bait rigFish a two-hook high-low rig with 2/0–4/0 hooks and a bank sinker heavy enough to hold bottom over wrecks and rock piles. Bait with clam, squid strips or cut fish, keep the sinker just touching bottom and set on the second tap.
JiggingDrop a 1–4 oz diamond jig, bucktail or slow-pitch jig to the structure and work it with short lifts a few feet off bottom. Tip bucktails with a squid strip or a soft-plastic trailer; jigs select for the biggest males.
Light-tackle in the shallowsIn late spring, sea bass spawn on rocky bottom in 10–30 feet where you can cast small jigs and soft plastics on spinning gear or strip streamers on a sinking fly line. Fish the edges of boulder fields on slack tide.

Gear

Rod6'6"–7' medium or medium-heavy conventional or spinning
Reel3000–4000 spinning or a small conventional 20 lb class
Line20–30 lb braid with a 30 lb fluorocarbon leader

Lures

Diamond jigsBucktail jigs with trailersSlow-pitch jigsPaddle-tail soft plasticsWeighted streamer flies

Baits

ClamSquid stripsGreen crabCut mackerel or bunker

Regulations

A saltwater license or registry is required. Black sea bass are jointly managed by NOAA and the Atlantic states with minimum sizes, bag limits and specific open seasons that change yearly and differ by state, so confirm the current season before you go.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 10 lb 4 oz (4.65 kg) — Virginia Beach, Virginia, 2000 (Allan Paschall). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best bait for black sea bass?

Fresh clam and squid strips are the standards because they stay on the hook and sea bass cannot resist them. Green crab and cut fish also work well on wrecks. For the biggest fish, a bucktail jig tipped with squid outfishes plain bait more often than not.

Why does the black sea bass season change every year?

The stock is managed under a federal quota divided among the Atlantic states, and each state adjusts its season dates, minimum size and bag limit to stay within its share. Rules can differ between neighboring states and even change mid-season, so always check your state agency's current notice.

Bite forecast — Black Sea Bass

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Black Sea Bass.

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