BSB?

SteveS and I were fishing Carmel Bay this morning.  We both, at separate times, believe that we saw a Black Sea Bass.  Before you start doubting us, we went around and around doubting ourselves.  There were seals dogging our tails, but the seals looked and swam differently.
I hope it was really what we saw.  It would be REALLY COOL if we get some established up here.
Other than the 4 foot long, stubby, stout, relatively slow, dark, big headed fish, we had all the silly rockfish you could manage and one subling.
Pat

Pat-
What part of the bay were you fishing???
There's a huge resident BSB down on the east end by the butterfly house.
A few different sources have told me about this lurker. There are also a few on the local reefs off Santa Cruz, one hangs out in Capitola and the other off Lighthouse Pt.

That's probably what you saw.  There have a been a few a caught in Monterey Bay over the years.

-Allen

We were in the kelp beds between the Carmel river and Carmel Beach.  I don't think I know the Butterfly house?
As a caveat....Everyone does know that BSB are fully protected, right????
Pat

Thats the same area my buddies have seen em, so I'm pretty sure you're right on target. The butterfly house is the house on the coast side of the road that connects the two beaches. You line that house up with one of the tudor style mansions behind it and it will give you a good indicator for a series of pinnacles.

Heh, you are right.  That is where we were and we commented on the pinnacles we encoutered.  Hooray, we were not hallucinating after being pummeled by loads of silly, leaping, greedy rockfish..........
What impressive animals.
Pat

Godd... Those silly leaping rockfish can get kinda annoying when your trying to target the bigger dogs. You guys get any good lings or cabbies today?

Skunked on cabs, one underling and one very strong ? (acted like a ling)that beat me in the kelp.  And I spent "all" my time on the bottom............
We intended to find some sand and hunt down halibut since I had sand dabs last time just north of this area, but we didn't get to it.
I came home and ate Elk vermillion.........
Pat

Black sea bass, or giant sea bass, are awesome creatures. Totally rare this far north and are hard to find in the SoCal / Channel Islands area too. Fully exploited by fishers and divers cuz they are so curious and slow moving. If you bring one up, let it go!

Thought I'd share a photo of a juvenile Balck sea bass caught and released in La Jolla on my lucky lingcod jig.  This fish got the skunk out after trolling macs all day with some very experienced (and well known) kayak fishermen.  I literally said "let me show you how it's done NorCal-style" dropped down my jig and wammo...a kodak moment.


Ed[/img]

Seabreeze-what a treat, especially up here.  I have never seen one, but would love to some day.

scared the piss out of me--- first could feel the hitchiker on my little rockie, then it was off, then on again, then saw the big pig right under the boat....was a treat.

That juvenile BSB is too cute!!!!!  Thanks for sharing so that I know what it is if I ever get to meet one of them now that it turns out that they live in my neighborhood.

Pat