Black Sea Bass

Season in Georgia

GA DNR winter: black sea bass are a winter target on the nearshore reefs in 20 to 40 ft. Boat fish. No other month data found. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Nearshore reefs in 20 to 40 ft by boat, on small strips of squid (GA DNR).

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

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

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

Georgia rules apply; see the regulations file.

Recipes for black sea bass

Typical: About 12 in, 1 lb. Large: 3 lb and up (big males with a blue hump). SC record 8 lb 3 oz (1995).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the GA limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division before you keep a fish.

Sources

• Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division, Coastlines Dec 2024: Ask a CRD Pro, tips for winter fishing (Official source)
• NOAA NEFSC Essential Fish Habitat source document: black sea bass (2nd ed.) (Official source)
• SCDNR species profile: black sea bass (Official source)
• SCDNR saltwater game fish records (Official source)

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