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Photo of Barred Sand Bass (Paralabrax nebulifer)

Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 — NickW557, Wikimedia Commons

Saltwater

Barred Sand Bass

Paralabrax nebulifer

A schooling flats species that often bites in waves once you find the school — a reliable summer target in Santa Monica Bay.

Size

12" min · avg 1–3 lb

Season

Summer peak

Difficulty

Habitat

Sandy or mud flats adjacent to structure, bay entrances, and open flats between reefs.

Best lures & bait

3–4" curl-tail grub on a 3/8 oz jig head
Live squid or anchovy on a light sliding sinker rig

How to catch them

Slow drift across open sand/mud flats, bouncing the jig near bottom
Once a fish bites, stay on the spot — sand bass school tightly

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