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The Blackfin Sea Bass fish identification, its habitats, characteristics, Fishing methods
Blackfin Seabass, Lateolabrax latus is similar in shape to the Striped Bass, is highly regarded as both a
food fish and a gamefish. Large fish are often caught in the area of shallow rocks and reefs and, in
southern Japan even in the brackish waters of river mouths. They grow to 40 inches and up to 23 pounds.
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Blackfin Seabass, Lateolabrax latus (Bira-suzuki Japanese), is endemic to the north eastern Pacific
from the Shizuoka and Chiba Prefectures in central Japan southward to the Nagasaki Prefecture and
the East China Sea. In southern waters of Japan, it is caught more often than its close relative,
the Japanese Sea bass. Large fish are often caught in the area of shallow rocks and reefs and, in
southern Japan even in the brackish waters of river mouths.
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Description
Blackfin Seabass has an elongate, compressed, silvery body that is deeper, stockier, and more silvery than
that of the Japanese Sea Bass, a large mouth of which the lower jaw projects beyond the upper jaw, and a
slightly forked tail. It lacks the stripes of the striped bass. The Blackfin Sea Bass differs from the
Japanese Sea Bass n having a deeper body, a row of scales on the lower jaw, and a more silvery body color.
The distinguishing characteristics between the Blackfin Sea Bass and the Japanese Sea Bass are: Blackfin
has 12 dorsal fin spines with 15-16 soft rays and 3 anal fin spines with 9-10 soft rays, while the
Japanese Sea Bass has 12-15 dorsal fin spines with 12-14 soft rays and 3 anal fin spines with 7-9 soft
rays. The eyes of the Blackfin Sea Bass seem slightly larger than those of the Japanese Sea Bass, possibly
due to its deeper body. Unlike the Japanese Sea Bass, the Blackfin Sea Bass rarely has any spots. Head
spines occur on the preopercle, opercle, interopercle, supracleithrum and posttemporal. 3 spines are
present both on the inner and outer margins of the preopercle.
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Dorsal fin has 12 spines with 15-16 soft rays.
Anal fin has 3 spines and 9 to 10 soft rays.
Caudal fin slightly forked.
Lower jaw projects beyond the upper jaw.
Lateral line complete with 71-76 scales.
Maximum weight up to 23 lbs and length to 40 inches.
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Habitats
Blackfin Sea Bass inhabit shallow rocky areas. They are often caught in the vicinity of shallow rocks and
reefs, and large individuals are sometimes caught in the brackish waters of river mouths.
Fishing
The Blackfin Sea Bass can be taken by surfcasting with flashy, minnow-shaped artificial lures or metal
jigs, or by fly fishing with feather streamers as well as by bait fishing with small live baits and by fly
fishing with streamers. In the southern waters of Japan, the Blackfin Sea Bass is caught more often than
its close relative, the Japanese Sea Bass.
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