I've nailed quite a few recently right under the boat. It seems as if they are following it quite a distance and then nailing it at the last minute. Shocks the hell out of you if you're not prepared.
I've tried all kinds of different retrieves and if the seabass are turned on they all work, if they're not they all don't work.
My cousin got a small sea lion one time on a white 4 in. Kalin's swimbait.
You can't catch tomorrow what you kill today - please practice catch and release.