SD Bay Bass - its what's for dinner

[Hammerhead_77]

First post - thanks to all who share info here.

Had a great day on the bay yesterday. Launched from Kellog street on that funky south swell and incoming tide. Wide open bass bite from 5:30-7:30. Nice big spotties. My biggest was just over 3#... Headed up to the submerged jetty and found enough boats to walk on trying for buts. Picked up a few sand bass up there before going back.

My partner had more time and put about 12 pounds of bass meat in the freezer.

[JarrodMc]

Catch Photo Release! It's a bass..

[Hammerhead_77]

Well, with stuff as tasty as spotties I tend to practice filet and release.

My doc said I should eat fish three or four times a week...hence the PA14. Diet and exercise all in one!

I gotta get a day out in La Jolla with Josh so I can learn to do more than feed macs to sea lions...

[Ggiannig89]

Sounds like a fun day! I don't eat spotties that often but I agree they are really good when fried up

[skiffman]

First post - thanks to all who share info here.

Had a great day on the bay yesterday. Launched from Kellog street on that funky south swell and incoming tide. Wide open bass bite from 5:30-7:30. Nice big spotties. My biggest was just over 3#... Headed up to the submerged jetty and found enough boats to walk on trying for buts. Picked up a few sand bass up there before going back.

My partner had more time and put about 12 pounds of bass meat in the freezer.

Remember the new regs on bass are a total of 5 with a minimum of 14".
12lbs of bass meat in the freezer means 24lbs of whole fish and I don't think he did that with 5 fish.

[Siebler]

Catch Photo Release! It's a bass..


Everybody has their own species they want to conserve and the ones they find OK to eat. As long as it is done within the law there is nothing wrong with eating bass. I dont eat Spotties or LMB because I dont like the way they taste but if somebody else does then have at it!

On my scale a Bass has no more right to live than a yellowtail and I will kill and eat as I see fit. Lets try to not make new members feel unwelcome in their very first posts....

[alanw]

Something to look at when deciding what to keep. They don't list everything, but if it isn't on the charts it should be ok to eat at least 1-2 a week. If it says do not eat for a child, I try and avoid it too.

http://oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/socal061709.html

[Hammerhead_77]

Wow! I had no idea there were such massive pollution problems up north. San Diego is not listed, so I hope we are better off... Seems like everything we do these days is going to kill us - even the bluefin have Japanese radiation in them!

[Hammerhead_77]

Remember the new regs on bass are a total of 5 with a minimum of 14".
12lbs of bass meat in the freezer means 24lbs of whole fish and I don't think he did that with 5 fish.

I actually don't know how many he had or if he filleted vs. gut, but he is quite the straight shooter when it comes to the regs. Myself, I'm still unclear if that limit is all bass combined or just per species? I play it safe and only keep a couple - sand bass and a couple spotties...and all were legal size.

On that incoming tide it was wide open. I got bit almost every cast! My colleague probably hooked 2/3 of his bites...I maybe did 30%. In any case it was a ton of fish getting hooked. Found a good spot for the yellowfin croakers as well...

[Hammerhead_77]

Sounds like a fun day! I don't eat spotties that often but I agree they are really good when fried up

baked 16 minutes at 375. Little olive oil, salt and pepper, sprig of sage...delicious.

[JarrodMc]

Everybody has their own species they want to conserve and the ones they find OK to eat. As long as it is done within the law there is nothing wrong with eating bass. I dont eat Spotties or LMB because I dont like the way they taste but if somebody else does then have at it!

On my scale a Bass has no more right to live than a yellowtail and I will kill and eat as I see fit. Lets try to not make new members feel unwelcome in their very first posts....

You make a totally valid point and I apologize. Personally I won't keep spotties or LMB and all but a few Calico on occasion. Welcome to BWE Hammerhead and keep on fishin. See you on the water

[Deamon]

I've fished SD Bay hard my entire life. There are PLENTY of posted signs (at boat launches and piers) warning people of consuming even small quantities of SD Bay fish on a regular basis. I'm a fish killer (and eater) so I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade. I'm dinking around in the Bay often for bugs. It's got some bad areas (shipyards) and contaminants in the fish, granted this report is from '98 but...Jim

[Nic D]

the bass reg's are any combination of bass limit 5. so 3 spotties, 1 sandy and 1 calico would be your limit for a day.

hope this helps.

if you want to keep spotties thats your biz... but please take the ones 14-15" and not the 3LBers. Thank you

[lamb]

Welcome to BWE,
stay healthy
and don't eat our sportfishing :D

[Rufus]

You guys worried about getting sick from fish in San Diego Bay, do me a favor and practice catch and release.

Thank yew.

[DESTROYER]

the bass reg's are any combination of bass limit 5. so 3 spotties, 1 sandy and 1 calico would be your limit for a day.

hope this helps.

if you want to keep spotties thats your biz... but please take the ones 13-15" and not the 3LBers. Thank you


Nic meant the 14"-15"....They have to be at least 14 inches to keep since March of this year. 13 inchers will get you a large fine.

[Old Man in the Sea]

the San Diego bay is known for PCB's and other heavy metals...I am sure it would be considered a red zone bay...:eek:
if you are married or have kids practice catch and release...

[captnblood34]

Welcome to the board! Maybe you can upgrade that PA14 to something with :paddleersmilie:!!!! :D:D:D

[chuckt]

Isn't halibut the worst when it comes to toxic/chemical concerns? They live on muddy/sandy bottom where pcb,mercury accumulated?

[alanw]

Isn't halibut the worst when it comes to toxic/chemical concerns? They live on muddy/sandy bottom where pcb,mercury accumulated?

I've looked into it before..

Halibut are one of the better fish to eat. It's not only where they live but what they eat and how much fat they have.

Croakers are some of the worst to eat because they are very fatty and PCBs build up in the fat.

The bigger/older fish accumulate more toxins. It's better to eat smaller (legal) fish of any species than the larger ones.

Also, the higher up the food chain, the more mercury they have. Sharks have alot while shrimp are very low in mercury.


Just catch and release if you're concerned. The best part of fishing is fishing.

http://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/7534_Health_Alerts_seafood.pdf

http://oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/socal061709.html

[kantstudien]

This has to be a joke? Spottie fillets?

Might as well get some DDT popsicles while you're at it.

[Maxfli123]

I was told that if you eat spotties you will end up getting spots of your own:afraid:
so I have avoided them. As for mercury that is nothing to mess with, had a buddy who ate his own canned tuna, fresh from ours and mexico waters get too much mercury in his system and he had to take nasty meds for a while...my advice just pay attention to your body after eating the fish, nothing is safe these days!!!

[Hammerhead_77]

Thanks for all the enlightening comments. After a detailed analysis I've come to the following conclusion...

We're all gonna die!!! (eventually, but no need to rush it)

This has made me wonder about WSB, since they are a croaker family fish. I think it will be a while before I bring any more bay bass home...and those yellow fin croaker are not looking great either. Radioactive bluefin, mercury laden billfish, polluted bass...makes a guy wonder if he should stick to alpine brook trout! (not gonna, but just sayin')

As far as the basic practice of C&R goes, I practice moderation. Keep only what you will use, not maxing outwhat the limit says...except dorado, they are all going home with me! I have been on a few fishing trips with a DFG biologist who's job is doing fish population studies for fisheries management. He takes a ton of greif from anglers pissed about closures, limits, regs, etc. but he is a sportsman and he keeps fish. His perspective is that like many managed resources fisheries can be harmed by both over and under harvesting.

I respect everyone's opinions here. I have my own personal line in the sand too - I won't kill a shark. I'll try to talk others out of it. But at the end of the day if it's legal it is up to the individual, even if I find it reprehensible. That said, can we all agree that yellowtail is yummy? If so, I'll hope to meet some of you in LJ! If not, then rest assured all I am doing is providing mackerel " meals on wheels " for all those poor starving sea dogs that are too lazy to catch their own.

[chuckt]

The chart shows you can eat smelt 7 servings per week. Anyone knows how they taste? I probably wont try it any time soon as long as i can eat bass once a week.
One thing i noticed, there are hatcheries for white sea bass and halibut where they release young fish but i have not heard any bass hatchery. Is it because bass is not a commercial fish?

[alanw]

Hey chuck you can check pierfishing.com for a bit of info on eating some of the local species. There's a "food value" section for each one. Jacksmelt says tasty but lots of small bones.

I've eaten them before, they really are quite tasty.

http://www.pierfishing.com/resources/?id=california_fish

[Nic D]

Nic meant the 14"-15"....They have to be at least 14 inches to keep since March of this year. 13 inchers will get you a large fine.

yes thanks bud.