Species guide · Florida

Black sea bass fishing in Florida

Centropristis striata, a nearshore species also called sea bass, humpback and knothead. Listed for the South Atlantic region. Peak season, about 3 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM at 72, one of 5 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Peak season

Where it's scoring now All Florida waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

South Atlantic

Peak season, about 3 more weeks

Jan: Shoulder season
Feb: Shoulder season
Mar: Peak season
Apr: Peak season
May: Shoulder season
Jun: Shoulder season
Jul: Shoulder season
Aug: Shoulder season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Peak season
Nov: Peak season
Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Mar to Apr, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Southern stock, managed by the South Atlantic council. Resident on hard bottom and reefs year-round with little migration; spawn February through May. Juveniles are common in high-salinity estuaries in summer, but keepers mostly come from nearshore reefs and wrecks.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 5

Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's black sea bass score this hour.

72Great

Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

Best window today 9-11 PM (72) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (80) · 22 named spots

72Great

Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Thu, Nov 12 at 7 AM (78) · 4 named spots

69Great

Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm

Best window today 9-11 PM (69) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (78) · 21 named spots

66Great

Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (66) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (75) · 92 named spots

64Good

Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (64) · Best day Tue, Nov 10 at 1 PM (73) · 88 named spots

How and where it feeds

Water temperature: Feeds from 48°F to 82°F, best between 55°F and 72°F.
Water depth: 10 to 180 ft of water.
Structure: Wreck, reef, ledge, jetty, oyster, pier, bridge and channel, in that order of preference.
Tide and current: Prefers moving water, with light current.Fished at anchor or on a slow drift right over structure. A light current carries scent and keeps fish up and feeding; strong current makes it hard to hold bottom on deeper wrecks.
Light: Little tied to dawn and dusk.
Pressure: Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits: 20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Black sea bass hold tight to wrecks, reefs, rock piles and jetties, from 15 feet inshore in late spring to well over 100 feet on offshore wrecks in late fall. Anchor or drift right over the structure and fish a two-hook high-low rig with squid or clam, or bounce a small jig on the bottom. The biggest males sit on the highest relief.

Methods: bottom fishing, jigging, drift fishing
Lures: diamond jigs, bucktail jigs, soft plastics on jig heads, slow-pitch jigs
Bait: squid strips, clams, cut fish, shrimp, crab

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Nov 4, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

Federal waters (Atlantic)Retention openFederal

7 per day · Minimum 13 in, total length

Season: No closed season on file

NOAA announced the 2026-2027 recreational season runs April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027. NOAA sets each season in advance, so this row expires with the current fishing year.

50 CFR part 622, subpart I (South Atlantic snapper-grouper) · verified Sep 13, 2026