Black sea bass have gathered inside the bay, providing good action and even better meals. What they lack in size, they make up for at the table. Sea bass have the whitest, mildest fillets, comparable only to hogfish or flounder.

Catching sea bass has been easy on recent outings. They have eaten shrimp, squid, chunks of frozen sardines, cut bait and tiny live baits. Even Sabiki rigs have caught a few.

Light spinning gear is all that is needed. Use a No. 1 hook, 20-pound leader and just enough weight to reach bottom.

Finding sea bass has not been difficult. Secret rock piles or productive hard bottom are not needed. Look on charts for spoil areas lining the shipping channel into the bay. They appear as dashed rectangles on charts, but on a bottom recorder they show up as mounds of rocky rubble.

Anchoring over these spots and dispersing a little chum in the water has balled fish under the boat, where they eat just about anything.

- Capt. Brent Gaskill charters the Summer Vacation out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 343-1765 or by e-mail at gaskill@tampabay.rr.com.

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