Side by Side

Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata

Typical: 11–17 in, 1–3 lb

Quickest tell: The long single spiny dorsal with rows of white spots, plus the trailing top tail-ray filament (and bluish nuchal hump) on adults, separate it from the blunt rubbery-lipped tautog and the deeper-bodied, smaller-mouthed scup.

• stocky body, smoky gray to blue-black, often with light spots and lines in rows along the fins
• single long dorsal fin with stout sharp spines
• rounded fins, the dorsal with pale spots/streaks
• elongated top tail-fin ray (filament) trailing on large fish
• fleshy nuchal hump, often bluish, on big spawning males

Full Black Sea Bass guide — season, gear and rules →

Tautog Tautoga onitis

Typical: 14–20 in, 2–5 lb

Quickest tell: The blunt rubbery-lipped head, thick leathery skin, and uniform blotchy dark coloring (no white-spotted fin rows, no trailing tail filament) separate tautog from the lighter, spinier black sea bass.

• blunt, rounded head with thick rubbery lips
• mottled dark gray to blackish-green, blotchy sides
• stout, deep body with thick leathery, slimy skin
• white chin patch on large males
• powerful jaws with crushing molar-like teeth set back in the mouth

Full Tautog guide — season, gear and rules →

When Each Is Running July — current month highlighted

Where Black Sea Bass and Tautog Overlap

Both run in Mid-Atlantic, Northeast — that is where telling them apart actually matters.

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