Sea bass for us has always been a REAL nice by-catch while we were fluking. I have only targeted them a couple times. We seem to catch enough while fluking to satisfy our needs. The big humped ones have seemed to come (for us anyway) in the deeper spots we fish. There is a few deep spots about a mile of the eliz' islands that seems to have them. My son got this 4.2#er at Lucus on Sat in about 70 feet of water. He though he had a dogfish it fought so hard.
I saw a 5.7#er caught. This photo (4.2) does not do the fish justice. The head is almost solid turquoise...it is a beautiful fish.
More difficult to clean then most fish but worth the effort...mighty good eating.
Did you know that sea-bass are hermaphrodites (sp)...they start off life as a female and change to a male later in life....figures they like to live in MA
