Giant Black Sea Bass

[mark99]

Here's a couple of videos I shot last Saturday off Italian Gardens.

YouTube - Giant Black Sea Bass at Italian Gardens 1

YouTube - Giant Black Sea Bass at Italian Gardens 2

Mark

 

[dpbishop]

Too Cool. I'll be over there for a week of diving starting the 15th. Sure hope I can find the GBSB hanging around.

 

[fineout]

wow, his eyes looked really angry though..cool vid!

 

[CheddarChick]

Wow.....Talk about the death stare

 

[drbill]

Hey, they just need glasses... that's all. They are truly "gentle giants" unless you are another male trying to steal a guy's lady.

Thanks for sharing these. In the first video the portion of the head between the eyes and mouth was remarkably clear of external parasites. Usually they are heavily infested there since cleaner fish like juvenile sheephead, kelp bass, senorita and island kelpfish generally do not venture too close to the mouth.

Was that fishing line in the upper left of the second video? Did you see any of them with hooks in their mouths?

Although these fish (Sterolepis gigas) have been called black sea bass for decades, it was decided to change the common name to giant sea bass since there already is a fish with the name black sea bass on the East Coast. I still slip and call them black SB's.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Thnx for the video

 

[mark99]

Bill,

Thanks for the correction on the name of the fish. The white line is my guideline, it is attached at the far end to a rock near the anchor line, and I am holding the reel in my left hand while I shoot the video with my right hand. There is quite a current running, so I am sort of tethered out in place at the end of the line. No evidence of any fish hooks. The video was shot, by the way, directly opposite the "gator" in about 50fsw.

Mark

 

[drbill]

After decades of calling them black sea bass, it is hard for me to adjust to calling them giant sea bass... although "Gentle Giants" made a good title for my DVD on them.

Ah, I see on the guideline... it did look pretty substantial for fishing line. The current sure can get pretty strong at that site... I've been blown off the bass a couple of times there!

Thanks again for sharing the video. They truly are magnificent fish. Last Thursday I had the thriull of showing my son Kevin his first GSB! He was quite impressed.

 

[shoupart]

I saw one the other week at Laguna's Crescent Cove, in the shallows in 15 feet over the sand as I was heading back to shore. I was so surprised to see it there, of all places!

 

[Teamcasa]

A few months ago Marian and I saw one at Shaws Cove as well.