Fish guide
Black Sea Bass
Centropristis striata. Also called Sea bass, Blackfish.
Showing the fish for Cape Cod and the Islands, MA.
Season in Cape Cod
Peak months: May, Jun.
MA DMF: arrive in large schools sometime in May and are abundant until October, largest concentrations in Buzzards Bay and Nantucket and Vineyard sounds; best fishing starts in May and runs through summer when they are closest to shore. Dispatches From The Ditch (2021): one taken near the Bourne Bridge in August. (Our inference)
Season by region
| Myrtle Beach | JFMAMJJASOND |
|---|---|
| Long Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Maine | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Shore MA | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Cape Cod | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Rhode Island | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Connecticut | JFMAMJJASOND |
| North Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| South Jersey | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Delmarva | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Outer Banks | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Southern NC | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Charleston | JFMAMJJASOND |
| Georgia | JFMAMJJASOND |
Where to find them
Rocky bottom and structure (wrecks, jetties, piers, rock piles) under 150 ft, densest in Buzzards Bay and Nantucket and Vineyard sounds; near shore in up to 120 ft in summer, bigger males deeper (MA DMF).
On the bottom right against structure: pier pilings, jetty rocks, reefs.
What to look for
Structure: pilings, rocks, live bottom. Many short fish mean you need to move to bigger structure.
What to throw
Bait
Squid strips (about 3 in by 1/2 in), Cut mullet or bluefish, Shrimp, Crab. Two-hook dropper rig with 1/0 to 3/0 circle hooks on short droppers, sinker just heavy enough to hold the bottom.
Leader
Short 2 to 3 in droppers with 1/0 to 3/0 circle hooks.
Common mistakes
- Fishing open sand away from structure
- Keeping fish under the 13 in limit (many pier fish are short)
Landing
Swing small fish up; use a pier net for big ones.
Handling
- Sharp dorsal spines
- Sharp gill cover spines
Smooth the dorsal fin down from front to back before you grip it.
Keep or release
MA DMF: mild, firm white meat. Sharp dorsal spines and gill covers. Season and limits are in the regulations file.
Typical: 0.5 to 2 lb (MA DMF). Large: Up to 25 in and over 8 lb (MA DMF).
Limits
FishOS has not checked the MA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Sources
- MA DMF: Learn about black sea bass (Official source)
- The Fisherman: Dispatches From The Ditch (Eddie Doherty, Dec 2021) (Angler knowledge)
- NOAA NEFSC Essential Fish Habitat source document: black sea bass (2nd ed.) (Official source)
- SCDNR species profile: black sea bass (Official source)
Is black sea bass worth it today?
The planner rates it for your exact time with the live tide, weather and water temperature.
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