Sea bass is a species that you can fish on a wide variety of spots. From the shore or far out to sea, you can find them almost anywhere. We will focus on the area close to the coast, that is to say not more than 2 nautical miles from the shore. This will require the fisherman to have a boat, but not to have a powerful boat to swallow the miles and go far out to sea. It is in this area close to the coast that the best fishing is often done.
Brittany has the advantage of having a lot of shallows close to the coast. It is easy to find deep areas even close to the coast. You will have the chance to have very varied fishing areas with an alternation of sand, rocky plateaus, oyster beds or beaches to name but a few.
This proximity to the coast will offer you fishing spots between 5 and 25 meters, even if it is possible to find much deeper drop-offs.
Depending on the area, you will have more or less current and your lure sinkers should be adapted accordingly.
We are going to detail the necessary equipment for this type of fishing by targeting exclusively the sea bass.
The rod and reel set as a base
Indispensable to the fisherman, whoever he may be, the rod and reel set must meet the specifications specific to fishing in this type of area.
This type of fishing implies a rod allowing the use of lures such as Black Minnow 120 mm or 140 mm with leaded heads from 12 to 30/40 grams or slug such as Crazy Sand eel in size 180 mm.
In order to best animate these types of lures, it is preferable to have a fairly long rod. This will give you a lot of leverage and make fishing with a pull easier.
A minimum of 2.30 m is recommended or as here, the use of a Daiwa Saltist AGS III 832 rod in 10-35 grams or the Saltist AGS III 802 in 7-28 grams.
With this model, the 832, we are at the maximum length for boat fishing. That said, with such a length, the casting distance is remarkable, as is the ease of making the pulls. On the other hand, this is more restrictive for scratch fishing for example where a slightly shorter rod would be a good choice.
To build a lightweight package that will make fishing enjoyable for hours, select a 3000 size reel. Reels of this size weigh in at around 250 grams, which is quite reasonable. Be careful about the ratio. This is one of the most important things to consider. A high ratio gives you a higher retrieve per crank turn. Fishing for bass in traction requires this type of characteristic in order to quickly recover the residual streamer on the pull. A minimum of 90 cm per turn is recommended.
The choice to equip the Saltist rod is the Daiwa Lexa 3000 CXH, which has all the characteristics required to practice at best this fishing.
The choice of lures
The choice is vast and it is not always easy to make the right choice especially for the beginner fisherman. However, there are a few sure values, of which FIIISH is one.
The Breton brand that we no longer need to introduce has conquered the hearts of fishermen by starting more than 10 years ago with the indestructible Black Minnow that has worked miracles. Its ease of use and its Texas hook set-up won the hearts of fishermen. Ten years later, it remains just as effective and continues to lure fish.
Since then, the range has expanded with the arrival of slug type lures such as the Crazy sand Eel available in different sizes, the most commonly used in the sea being the 120, 150, 180 and 220.
Finally, halfway between the Crazy and the Black Minnox, the Crazy paddle tail is a very effective lure for all linear fishing. This tapered lure, finished with a paddle, is effective whether you're fishing in areas where there are lots of tippets or when bass are chasing small blues.
All these lures constitute a solid base to start serenely in the search of the bass. As you go along, there is no doubt that you will make your personal selection.
Braid and fluorocarbon
The choice of the braid and the associated fluorocarbon at the bottom of the line is also an essential element to take into account according to the chosen technique.
In this case, at the beginning of the season, the water is not so clear that it is useless to select a fluorocarbon that is too fine. Moreover, you are not safe from crossing the road of a big yellow spot, whose fight will surely be more violent than with a sea bass and which will certainly try to regain the bottom.
For the braid, an 8 strand model, with a strength of about 20 lbs will be suitable and will make a good association with a 30 hundredths fluorocarbon.
The Lexa 3000 has been fitted with a Daiwa Tournament EVO 8 braid in PE 1.2 equivalent to 22 lbs.
Its finesse and roundness offer a good glide in the rings which allows to reach long casting distances.
You are now equipped to attack the sea fishing season in search of bass, but also other species present on the coast of the Channel and the Atlantic.
