Black Sea Bass
General Characteristics and Habitat
Black Sea Bass are the ultimate structure dwelling bottom fish. They are elegant fish to look at. They are broad at the head to accommodate its large mouth. 
The body tapers down to a tail with two or three wisps depending on the size of the fish. The bigger ones have three wisps, typically the top one is longest, but the middle wisp is the one that must be used to measure its length for regulatory purposes.
Most fish are black, but younger ones are often lighter in color. Unlike many other species, the belly is the same color as the rest of the fish. Mature males display beautiful and blue green coloration along the top.The pectoral fins are long and sharp and can draw blood, so handle with care.
Although the mouth is large, it is safe to handle these fish by sticking your thumb in its mouth, the worst outcome is a bit of skin roughness.Younger fish eat rock crabs and krill, older ones are not as fussy. They consume sand eels, crustaceans, and other small fish.
Breeding and Migration
Black Sea Bass arrive in our waters around May 1st in many waves of small schools. They spawn in June. Once arrived they take up residence in the same places year after year: artificial reefs, ship wrecks, and areas with rocky bottoms in depths of 30 to 100 feet. Beginning in late October they migrate to structure found in 160 to 220 feet of depth about 15 to 30 miles from the beach). The bulk of the biomass is found in deep water off Chesapeake Bay during the winter months.
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Great all around inshore reel!
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How to Catch Them
A boat is needed to sit over their favorite structural habitats. They are most commonly fished for in the same manner as porgy, a high-low setup using clam, squid, or “Gulp” as bait. Conventional reels work well for this purpose. Catching two fish at a time is common, a “doubleheader”.
Diamond jigs also work well because they are mistaken for a sand eel by the BSB. Spinning tackle is recommended for this approach.
This is an easy fish to find and catch. They show up well on sonar and are eager to eat, especially early in the day. I have noticed that the bite slows down from mid afternoon on, so you want to be there as early as you can.
Eating
Black Sea Bass is my personal favorite eating fish. Its flesh is white, moist and quite tasty with no hint of “fishiness”. Some people prefer to cook this fish whole after it has been properly gutted and scaled.
Broiling the fillets also works, but be careful to not overcook them. six to seven minutes on one side is usually enough
The Lingo
Knucklehead / Knothead: Male fish with a pronounced bump at the top of its head. The bump will begin to develop on fish as small as 12 inches, but most anglers reserve this term for fish over 17 inches.