Current Waters: Black Sea Bass On Deck

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Current Waters with Captain Carl Bois of Topspin Fishing.

Join us each week as we take you in, out and around Nantucket waterways. I may make my living on the water, but we want this column to be more than fishing. We’re going to explore all that Nantucket waters have to offer throughout the season. Fishing, of course, but also various boating and water activities, newsworthy sightings, and some natural history info thrown in for good measure.

This May sure has started out like a wet blanket. The weather hasn’t been conducive to many on-the-water activities lately. However, if you’re down at the docks you’ll start to notice boats back in the water, moorings being set, and the dinghy docks back in place.

The excitement right now is all in the anticipation of what’s to come. Who will land the first keeper striper and when? There’s something about that first fish of the year. It’s almost spiritual. With the full moon passing and large tides we should have a good push of striped bass coming in to our local waters soon. It’s getting better and better every day. Take the time when you can and get out there. You can’t catch them from the couch.

While we wait for striper season to really get going, black sea bass are the first table fare we can really go for. The season opens Saturday, May 21 and the limits are 4 per angler. Black sea bass are bottom feeders. Some have already been caught around the wrecks and various structure (and thrown back of course). Fluke also opens May 21, but it takes them a little while longer to come in to our area.

Black sea bass mark the start of our charter season and we can’t wait to get back out on the water.

They are a highly migratory fish and have become one of the prime marine examples of climate change in our region as their range moves further north. The black sea bass winter in deep water off the Atlantic coast. They move north and inland in the spring, typically mid-May. They tend to like structure or rocky bottoms.

Another “fun fact” about black sea bass; they are protogynous hermaphrodites, most starting life as females and changing into males at maturity.

One of the best table fare, black sea bass meat is lean, white flesh with a moderately firm texture and a delicate flavor. It’s pretty versatile in terms of cooking methods. We like to broil or roast is with light seasoning and lemon. There is nothing better than serving up the first catch of the season. And that, not the crappy weather, is the true start of spring.

Remember, as we start the 2022 fishing season, check out the state recreational regulations. Things change over the winter and you never want to be the one with too large or too many fish. This will hopefully leave a future fishery for everyone.

Captain Carl Bois is the owner and operator of Topspin Fishing Charters booking now for the 2022 season.