At the fishmarket, you’ll pay top dollar for black sea bass. The pure white fillets feature a light taste and flaky texture whether fried, baked or grilled. Northeast anglers get a unique opportunity to target these deep-water delicacies as the fish move inshore in the summer. By using light tackle instead of a heavy bottomrig, these two pros target black sea bass for more than meat, they fish for fun.
Elias Vaisberg targets black sea bass off the beaches of New York City from July to early fall. He looks for deep water and structure a few miles from shore. “Fishing in 40 feet of water is the magic number,” he says. He drifts over mussel beds and rocks marking bait and schools of sea bass with his fishfinder. Ocean conditions must be excellent for sea bass fishing, Vaisberg looks for light winds and calm seas. “The best time is early in the morning,” he says.
The typical tactic for sea bass is bottom fishing with cut bait. Tie a two-hook bottomrig in 50-pound mono, add 5/0-baitholder hooks with strips of squid and a four- to six-ounce bank sinker. Vaisberg turns the tide with light tackle. “I use 1.5-ounce EliasVFishing Tackle jigs and swimbaits,” he says. Super thin and sensitive Kastking 10-pound braided line allows Vaisberg to drop a superlight jig to the bottom in over 40 feet of water. “Using a medium KastKing Orca 2000 spinning rod and reel puts some fight into the catch,” Vaisberg explains, “I catch the biggest fish by jigging.”
Up the coast in Connecticut, pro guide Tim Moore (www.timmooreoutdoors.com) looks forward to summer sea bass fishing. “The coast is rocky and jagged,” Moore says, “perfect for sea bass.” He also finds fish on bridge pilings, docks and wrecks in 30 to 60 feet of water. Moore likes to drift across the structure. “The schools move around so I try to cover the water,” he adds. Current is the key for sea bass fishing. “Tidal currents can make it impossible to fish,” Moore points out, “the kayak will drift too fast for the lure to hit the bottom.” Prime time is on the slack tide.
Moore also likes to jig for sea bass. He rigs a medium-weight Shimano Trevally spinning rod with 5000 series Stradic reel spooled with 30-pound braid. Attach a six-foot length of 20-pound fluorocar- bon to the braid and tie in a Daddy Mac 1.4-ounce Elite Deluxe jig in sandeel green. “It’s crucial to stay vertical over the jig,” he stresses, “if the current causes the line to streak out the jig will drag and snag on the bottom.”
For both anglers, the focus of sea bass fishing is fun. Moore chuckles, “As soon as they bite they try to get back to the structure.” Vaisberg also feels the love. “It’s a real challenge,” he says, “sea bass fishing is not easy.”
This article was first published in the Summer 2016 issue of Kayak Angler. Subscribe to Kayak Angler Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
