About Atractoscion nobilis (Ayres, 1860)
The body of the white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) is elongated and somewhat compressed. It has a pointed, slightly compressed head, a large mouth with a row of small teeth on the roof of the mouth, and a slightly protruding lower jaw. Its upper body ranges in color from bluish to gray, with dark speckling, while its underside is silver. Juvenile white seabass have several dark vertical bars along their bodies. White seabass are closely related to California corbina, and are the only member of the croaker fish family found in California that can exceed 20 pounds in weight. The largest recorded specimen measured over 5 feet long and weighed 93.1 pounds. This species can be most easily distinguished from other croakers by a ridge that runs the entire length of its belly. The diet of white seabass consists of fish — especially anchovies and sardines — and squid. Occasionally, large individuals have been found that have eaten only Pacific mackerel. At the minimum legal harvest length of 28 inches, the average white seabass is around 5 years old, weighs approximately 7.5 pounds, and has been sexually mature for at least one full spawning season.
