Favourable hunting conditions
The best times to fish for sea bass are when conditions allow them to hunt as easily and comfortably as possible. One of the key factors here is light. Indeed, while sea bass use sight to hunt, they also rely on information transmitted by their lateral line and can therefore target their attacks in low-light conditions, which is an undeniable advantage as they will be less visible to their coveted prey.
Sunrise and sunset
With this in mind, these two moments are key, as the change in light conditions is significant and offers sea bass much easier attack opportunities. This is particularly true on hot summer days, when they desert the coasts (or at least are totally inactive) due to the presence of numerous holidaymakers on the water's edge and boats plying the seas.
In winter, on the other hand, the warmer (and sunnier) times of the day can be more profitable due to the water's surface temperature. It's no longer a question of luminosity, but of the comfort and activity of the marine fauna.
The night
Nighttime is a special time for crustaceans. Crabs and shrimps emerge from the seaweed and other rocky crevices and get down to business. Sea bass know this and take advantage of the opportunity to feed! The return to calm is also very reassuring for them, and they don't hesitate to hunt in just a few decimeters of water. From the shore, night fishing is an ideal time to catch big fish, sometimes under the rod...
The wind
Although sometimes unpleasant and uncomfortable, the wind is a bass angler's friend. In fact, wind often stimulates bass activity, as on the one hand it oxygenates the water, and on the other, by rippling or even agitating the water, it attenuates ambient light and noise, enabling bass to hunt more discreetly.
Moreover, a sea breeze is very favourable for shore fishing, as the swell it creates beats against the coast. This oxygenates the water and suspends crustaceans, worms and shellfish, unbalancing the small fish that bass can easily feed on.
On the contrary, an onshore wind will tend to smooth the surface of the sea, and you'll probably have to look for sea bass further offshore and even deeper if it's accompanied by plenty of sunshine.
The weather
For the same reasons of brightness, cloudy days are often much better than sunny ones.
What's more, atmospheric pressure drops, i.e. just before a disturbance, are good times. Sea bass feel these pressure variations and know exactly how to interpret them. The imminent arrival of a major disturbance pushes them into action. It's up to us to make the most of it, and keep an eye on the weather forecasts!
The tides
Coefficients between 60 and 90 are the best for sea bass, provided you know which tide moment to exploit for each spot.
The Moon
There are many beliefs, "statistics" and theories about the moon and its influence on fishing. Everyone has their own rules, often born of personal experience and reinforced by the fact that we tend to reproduce the conditions that have worked for us rather than persevere in a different direction. So I don't really know what to make of it. There's definitely an influence, but what is it? For my part, at night, I have the feeling that the days preceding full and new moons are the best... But maybe it's because this corresponds to increasing coefficients or other parameters I haven't considered!
The best part!
The best time is when all the parameters coincide, but if we only wait for these moments to go fishing, our season is likely to be short... In reality, for the most part, we fish when we have the time, so even if not all conditions are met, don't forget that for every rule there is an exception, and that there are undoubtedly many other factors we don't know about!
