„ The predator“

Well-equipped to race through the sea:
Streamlined physique, large caudal peduncle

All of his senses come together to make the European sea bass a perfect maritime predator: nothing goes past him unnoticed.

 The Eyes
Compared to the size of his head, the European sea bass has relatively big eyes, which make up 15 to 20% of the length of his head. It is this sense organ which, used in combination with the rest of his sense organs, he relies on most during his hunt for food. The lens is designed to adapt to all kinds of lighting conditions, be it during the hunt for food, in muddy waters or at night. The retina contains rods and cones, just like a human eye.  A fish whose retinas only contain rods become inactive at night. For this reason, the European sea bass’s dormant phase is not limited to certain times of day.  

The lateral line, double nostrils and eye structure make the European sea bass a perfect predator.

Sense of smell
The European sea bass has a so-called perfect nose: sea water constantly flushes the double-nostril olfactory organ making him “right on the nose”. Due to the fact that he often hunts for food in shallow waters where swirls can limit vision, his nose is the perfect armor he needs.

The lens of the illuminated eye bears resemblance to a zander (guanine crystals), its     structure, however, comes close to the human eye.                        

Compared with the size of his body, the European sea bass has a huge mouth with which he is able to suck up big bites of food without any problems.

Sense of taste
 The European sea bass can differentiate between sweet/salty and bitter/sour, but only from a small distance. Closing in on his supposed prey, he begins to use his sense of taste in addition to the sense of smell.  An important tip for all of us anglers: natural bait should be as fresh as possible; the European sea bass despises carrion.  

Hearing
Fish do have ears. These are located inside of their skull behind the eyes. Sound waves picked up through flesh and fish bones enter the ear to be transformed into electrical impulses, therefore enabling him to distinguish between food and threat. The audio frequency is beyond the range of humans.
The European sea bass not only uses “ears” to hear. The lateral line system has its role to play. Its small parallel channels help determine the direction of detected sound waves.