Visiting San Diego, Giant Sea Bass?

[deeno]

The more you want to see one, the more they will hide from you.

Hah! Isn't that the truth.

Back in the day, 2007, saw many GSB at Point Loma Pipeline in San Diego.

It is quite sad that 2007 is considered back in the day now. Even sadder that our waters have changed so much in that short amount of time.

Thanks all for the hints and Max those GSB photos are fantastic - really makes me want to get back in the water.

I'm going look around to see if it's practical for us to get out to Catalina without wearing ourselves out. Either way I have a feeling we will enjoy ourselves - getting in the water and having a great day is the real goal so we may end up staying local (SD).

 

[broncobowsher]

The only mainland sites where you can see them consistently are the Star of Scotland and Hermosa Beach Artificial Reef, both in the Santa Monica Bay. Few boats go to these sites so if you want to see a GSB, you're better off going to Catalina Island.
View attachment 507876

View attachment 507877

That second photo almost puts it in perspective. It doesn't look that giant, until you see those little fish around it and realize they are not tiny fish. Best description I have heard, a fish the size of a smart car swim by.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Sometimes it's best to let them show you how big they are.
This one is only about four feet long, but I have seen them longer than I am with fins on.

 

[broncobowsher]

Even that photo you still can't grasp the scale. With the way the lighting is it looks like a bit of forced perspective. After seeing one in person you know it isn't. But you pretty much need to see one in person to really understand.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Star of Scotland

Palos Verdes

 

[covediver]

If you decide to go to Catalina from San Diego, check to see if Catalina Express is running out of Dana Point. I found it an easy way to get to Catalina without going all the way into LA/LB.

 

[deeno]

Just got back home, we dove the Ruby E and Point Loma Kelp beds with Waterhorse.

The vis was really murky, but opened up below the thermocline. ~15-20ft at the Ruby and ~25ft or so at Point Loma. Water temps around 54deg @ 60ft. I didn't realize how cold it was until I turned on my flashlight and saw the light vibrating

Saw some Girabaldi which were neat and as luck would have it, I got a great look at a "baby" 3' GSB as it did a drive by.

I'm still happy as a clam several days later

 

[drbill]

Ha, nobody ever sees a giant sea bass... what they really see are pretty large polka-dotted wreckfish (Stereolepis gigas)

 

[Sam Miller III]

cientifically it is a Stereolepis gigas

There have been two common names
F&G bulletin #68 , 1948 by Phil Rodel page 51 "Black Sea Bass"

F&G bulletin #157, by Miller & Lea page 149 "Giant Sea Bass"

Earlier in 1958 in F&G "Off shore fishes of California" by
John Fitch page 53 "Giant Sea Bass"
John Fitch was and still is considered the expert on the "Sea Bass" Therefore use "Giant Sea Bass"

However, there are those whom you will possibly encounter who's diving predates 1948 and they only knew them as "Black Sea Bass"
So it all depends who you speak to and their age and experience

Now a new scientific name ... what they really see are pretty large polka-dotted wreckfish
(Stereolepis gigas)

It is recognized they do grow large; they do have spots but I have yet to experience them on a wreck.

Generally they annually migrate into the shallows duriing breeding the spring and summer into specific number of places in Catalina , one was and still is Goat Harbor. Currently The Dive Park has become a gathering place is a sure thing to see them apparently year round.

They were are still are occasional spotted in the many mainland coves from Crange county to the Mexican border during breeding.

On Memorial day 1960 the late great SoCal diver, underwater artist - see his painting "Night dive" cover on SDM- and member of a very active dive club, "The Snorkels" speared the world record fish, by breath hold diving, off then Scotsman's cove now called Reef Point , I would tell you the weight but my friend from the hinterland @Jayfarmlaw has set the size of the fish at 500. no 600. no 1000 now 1500 pounds. So expert professional marine biologist @drbill tell us about the fish ??

Sad note -- I recently was notified that Bob Stansbury who held the Black Sea Bass Spearfishing record passed away in Arizona .
The passing parade -- soon it will be I think, I suppose, I believe, or I was told..

SDM.

 

[scubadada]

...It is quite sad that 2007 is considered back in the day now. Even sadder that our waters have changed so much in that short amount of time...

Take full advantage, see what you can now. Back in the 1970s, at the beginning of my diving, we very frequently saw Blue Sharks off Catalina. I believe they were still spearing Giant Sea Bass, at least in the early 70s

Out east, where I live now, the Goliath Grouper fishery has been closed to harvest since 1990 and the fish has made some recovery. There is an ongoing effort, particularly among sport fishermen, to have the fishery reopened to harvest. This was last rejected in 2018. The Goliath Grouper aggregation in SE Florida late August, through September or early October, is a quite a sight