- Black sea bass have dangerously sharp spines on their dorsal fin that can puncture human skin.
- The all-tackle world record for black sea bass is 9 pounds, 8 ounces.
- When hooked in deep water and brought quickly to the surface, a black sea bass will often regurgitate its stomach contents.
Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus)
Spanish mackerel have elongated, slender bodies that allow them to be very fast swimmers. Coloration is bluish or olive on the back and silvery on the belly and the sides. There are also many bronze or yellow spots on the sides. The front part of the first dorsal fin is black. The lateral line gradually curves downward toward the tail fin. Spanish mackerel have two dorsal fins, the first with 16 to 18 spines and the second with 15 to 18 soft rays. Behind the second dorsal fin and the anal fin there are 8 to 9 finlets. The tail fin is thin and crescent shaped, much like a tunas. Spanish mackerel have small scales.
There are two distinct populations of Spanish mackerel in the western Atlantic, one along the western Atlantic coast of the U.S. from Chesapeake Bay (and occasionally Cape Cod) to Miami, and the second exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico. They are not found in the Bahamas and some other parts of the Caribbean.
Spanish mackerel prefer warm waters, and are rarely found in water less than 68 F. They are a highly migratory species that forms big schools, so large that they can be (and often are) spotted from the air. Migrations are mainly for feeding purposes. Spanish mackerel can be found inshore, near shore and offshore. When inshore they are usually in shallow-water estuaries. Near shore they are often in the shallow waters over the continental shelf or over deep grass beds and reefs.
Spawning season for Spanish mackerel is the summer, beginning in May and continuing until September, with peaks in August and September. It is likely that both males and females spawn repeatedly during the season. They spawn offshore, scattering the fertilized eggs in the water. After they hatch, young Spanish mackerel swim to inshore positions.
Spanish mackerel primarily feed on small fish such as threadfin herring, menhaden, mullet and anchovies. They hunt in schools, and can often be seen forcing the schooling baitfish into bundles and attacking from below. During these feeding frenzies the baitfish often jump out of the water, where predator birds such as tern prey upon them. Spanish mackerel also eat shrimp and squid.
Spanish mackerel are considered good table fare and nice candidates for light tackle because of their fast runs and hard fighting abilities. Because they are attracted to shiny objects fishing for them with small, shiny metal lures (such as spoons) is effective. They also readily hit small baitfish patterns fished with fly-casting tackle. Spinning is also effective because Spanish mackerel often hit fast-moving lures. The best live bait is shrimp or small, silvery baitfish. Because they have sharp teeth that can cut through line, heavy monofilament line should be used. When a large school of them is found, angling action is often fast and furious.
- Spanish mackerel are often confused with juveniles of their close relative, the king mackerel.
- The all-tackle world record is 13 pounds, taken off North Carolina in 1987.