black-seabass
Species Facts

Science Name: Centropris tisstriata
Other Names: sea bass, black fish, black bass, rockfish, talywag
World Record: 2 lbs. 11 oz, Gibraltar
Environment: inshore, coastal, reef
Techniques: bottom fishing, medium tackle
Description

The black sea bass occurs along the Atlantic Coast of the United States from Cape Cod to Florida, reaching greatest abundance between the Capes of New Jersey and North Carolina. This species generally does not occur in the Gulf of Maine, but it is an important groundfish west and south of Cape Cod

Black sea bass are fairly stout-bodied fish, with a long dorsal fin, and large pectoral and pelvic fins. The rounded tail sometimes has a long streamer trailing out from the top edge. Each gill cover has a flat spine near the outer edge. Mature males have a fleshy dorsal hump just anterior to the dorsal fin.

The background color of the black sea bass (smokey gray, brown, or bluish black) is mottled with darker patches and light speckles. The belly is only slightly lighter than the sides. The dorsal fin is marked with whitish mottling, while all other fins have dark spots, Young sea bass are green or brown with a dark lateral stripe running from the head to the tail.

However, most adults do not exceed 1.5 pounds. A 12-inch fish generally weighs 1 pound, while an 18 to 20-inch fish weighs about 3 pounds.

The black sea bass has an unusual life cycle: most individuals are hermaphroditic, reproducing both as female and a male at some time in their lives. Although some fish are males from the time they reach sexual maturity, most produce eggs when they first mature. At some subsequent point the ovary tissues in these fish become non-functional, while at the same time testes commence production of sperm. The age at which individuals "switch" from female to male is variable, although most fish have done so before they are 6 years old. In heavily exploited populations in which larger, older males are selectively harvested, the resulting death of males causes females to change sex at a younger age and smaller size than would be the case in populations less depleted by fishing. The effects of reduced abundance of males and reduced average size of females on the reproductive capacity of sea bass populations is not fully understood.

The black sea bass is a temperate marine species that inhabits irregular hard-bottom areas such as wrecks, reefs and rock outcroppings from Cape Cod to Cape Canaveral. There are believed to be two populations: one north of Cape Hatteras and the other south of Cape Hatteras. The two populations spawn at different times of the year and have slightly different rates of growth. Black sea bass in the South Atlantic Bight generally occur inshore of the more tropical reef fishes-snappers, groupers, porgies and grunts — which also prefer hard-bottom habitats.

Black sea bass reproduce from February to July, with the spawning season starting earliest in the southern portion of their range and progressing northward as spring passes. Off the southern New England coast, they reproduce from mid-May until the end of June. The eggs are buoyant, floating in the water column until they hatch 1 ½ to 5 days after fertilization. The larvae drift in bays, inlets, and offshore areas; they become bottom-dwelling when they have grown to about ½ inch in length.

Juvenile and adult black sea bass feed upon a variety of benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrate's suck as rock crabs, hermit crabs, squids, and razor clams.

Angling and Handling Tips
When many anglers hear someone mention "bass," they often think first of stripers or fresh water black bass. Yet the black sea bass provides a fight and a flavor that attract a strong angler following. Long known by commercial fishermen as "rock bass," this species also carries the somewhat endearing name of "old humpback," due to the enlarged area above the head that is characteristic of many old males.

The best time to fish for black sea bass is from May through summer, when they are closest to shore. Any underwater structures, such as those associated with wrecks, jetties, and piers, will attract this species. Although they can be found from near shore to depths of about 120 feet, the largest males tend to be found in deeper waters within this depth range.

The black sea bass is predominantly a bottom-feeder, although it will occasionally strike at plugs, jigs, or lures. Thus, bait fishing with strips of squid or fish is the most productive method. The most commonly caught fish weigh from ½ to 2 pounds. You can receive the greatest enjoyment when catching fish in this size range by using a medium-weight-spinning outfit with 8-pound test line. Although a sea bass has a large mouth, use a #2 bait-holder hook tied above a small sinker; this fish normally hesitates to grab bait strung on large cod hooks.

The firm, white flesh of this species is a favorite of many. Bass are easy to fillet, especially when chilled, and yield a thick slice of meat. Some fillets are thick enough to slice lengthwise or to cut into nuggets for frying. Larger fish can be cut into steaks and cooked like striped bass. In restaurants, black sea bass are often offered as "squirrel fish," and Chinese restaurants will serve delicious whole deep-fried bass as "Hunan fish."

Try broiling black sea bass fillets. When broiling, fold under the thin section from the tail area to allow more even cooking. Place the fish in a greased pan; sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and paprika, and dot with butter or olive oil. Broil 5 to 6 minutes on each side, depending upon thickness, until the fillets are golden-brown. Be careful not to cook too long, as the fillets will dry and become somewhat leathery.