Sea bass fish

Sea bass is marine species of fish with an elongated body shape, small tight scales, large head and mouth, and a folk-edged tail. It has a variety of species ranging from 475 species.  Where do you catch sea bass here on the east coast?  Right here in Newport, RI.

They vary widely in size from a few centimeters to a maximum of 6 feet and can weigh up to 225kg(500 pounds) like the goliath grouper others like the giant grouper weigh up to 400 kg(900 pounds).

Sea bass varies in color within the fish species and their inhabitants. It’s categorized into different species; the most sought is the black bass for its delicate, white filets that can be used in different recipes and are deliciously prepared as whole black sea fish.

Sea bass species are broad and include the black bass, giant grouper, paint comber, leopard coral grouper, white grouper, saw-edged perch, and Atlantic goliath among others.

Black sea bass fishing tips

The black bass is found around structures that hold sea bass such as; piers, jetties, shoals, reefs, rock piles, and wrecks on the East Coast of North America.

During spring they can be found on offshore fishing spots in southern Massachusetts, while in summer the large fish species, move into slightly deeper water and hold on to shoals, reefs, and wrecks in 60 to 120 feet of water.

During winter, they move offshore to depths of 120 to 240 feet deeper into the ice and seawater. Black sea bass has firm flesh with less oil than the striped bass, but are similar in flavor.

The best places to fish for black bass are; buzzard bay, cape cod, Rhodes island, long island, new jersey, and Narragansett Bay.

How to catch sea bass using lures?

Metal jigs or diamond rigs and spinners are used while catching big bass, they are heavy and hence easy to use, thus helping one hold more ground for catching sea bass.

Diamond jigs or bucktail jigs, which can be tipped with natural bait, soft-plastic dropper loop, or scented artificial bait, are one of the best for catching sea bass.

The black bass is a popular fish along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Massachusetts and tends to hit jigs, sea bass bait, and lures, they are said to grow up to 8 pounds.

Jigging for black sea bass

Jigging is fishing using the jig as a lure, it has a lead sinker with a hook cast into it to imitate bait fish’s volatile swimming styles and is fit for catching large fish.

When fishing for black sea bass, assort the lead head, metal jigs, or diamond jigs from half to 4 ounces or heavier and drop the jig to the bottom. Keep your fishing line straight up and down, lift the rod tip making the jig dart up from the bottom, then lower it back regularly.

The movement of the metal jigs attracts the bottom fish in the bottom water, continue shifting the diamond jigs till the fishing line is upright, being aggressive fish sea bass will cause a diverse thump eating the sea bait, clasp the medium weight rod, and set up the hook with the best bait to catch and quickly reel up the fish from the bottom.

What are the best black sea bass rigs?

A basic high-low rig is the best for fishing with bait, for black bass, it functions well in deeper water or where it’s rational to the heavy current which makes it tough to fish. The following are some popular jigs to use;

Carolina Rigs

They are sliding sinker rigs created as bass fishing rigs with a weedless hook and a soft plastic squid. They work with egg sinkers up to 3 or 4 ounces, lighter sinkers help the rig pass through weeds or grass to catch the bottom fish.

For large sea bass, replace the egg sinker with a fishfinder slide and clip to keep the sinker or cut bait from ripping on the swivel, place a plastic bead on the mainline between the sinker and swivel hence the fish can’t detect the weight of the sinker.

Texas Rigs

Texas rigged lures are soft plastic squid that requires a special cone-shaped worm hook which is designed to be threaded through the worm hiding the point of the hook.

Drop shot rigs

It consists of a light tackle tied inline such that it hangs with the shank parallel to the bottom and can hold the sea bass, any soft plastic bait can be used.

The Palomar knot is a great way to use this bass rig, set up to hold the large black sea bass. The hook should face upwards to keep it from seizing.

Drop shot rig can also be used to catch catfish and a variety of other fish in the deep water.

The Ned Rig

It’s the best during the spring and winter months, when largemouth gets lethal, use small cut bait to catch sea bass due to ice on seawater, set up soft plastic bait, and jig head to hold black sea bass.

How to catch black sea bass

Though black sea bass can weigh up to 10 pounds, one can use pretty basic gear, 7 feet long rods with medium weight, and a mono-braided line to find black sea bass. Some anglers prefer using a diamond jig with diamond rigs, while many use the two hook bait rig.

Use essential fishing tips to master the best baits while fishing. They include squid, mussels, clams, crabs, blood worms, and sandworms.

Best time to catch black sea bass

Fishing for sea bass can be done all year long, during springs catch them at long island, Narragansett bay, block island sound, and the shallow waters of southern New England.

By mid-may, they can be caught at Martha’s vineyard sound,  around cape cod in buzzards bay, and Nantucket Sound.

Big sea bass can also be caught in the nearshore water of Long Island and New Jersey during spring and summer.

Conclusion

whether fishing from a charter boat or on offshore spots ensures safety and fish properly as per your bag limit. Be cautious of the tides and maximize the chances to catch sea bass while fishing. Avoid using lighter gear on a metal jig for bottom fishing.

Catching sea bass is one of the best experiences. Sea bass is a healthy source of omega 3, it’s high in proteins and low in calories, their meat is mild in flavor and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

Make sure to bleed out the fish after catching them and clean them using ice and seawater to alkaline and firm the flesh.