It's been years since I've been back to this estuary in Finistère, as I've moved and have many estuaries in South Brittany within easy reach. It's a real blessing to have such a vast fishing territory, and Brittany is an extraordinary region for the pursuit of this unique predator.
Back to basics
I'm really excited about going back, as it will bring back memories of that first sea bass that changed everything in my fishing and also in my work as a fishing instructor-guide. The beginning of a great passion for sight-fishing for sea bass.
It also allows me to change my playground and rediscover this area and potentially find others. It's always very interesting to get out of your comfort zone, see new landscapes and have to analyze the fishing areas again to find the right spots and when to fish them.
I start in an area that's not easy to fly-fish, as it's overhanging, but where there are sometimes very large bass feeding close to the shore.
Immediately I see my first nice fish wandering around, but it's not posted. I go back and forth along the edge, but apart from one small fish, no big bass activity.
On the same spot, another, slightly smaller sea bass is looking for a meal, stuck to the edge, near and under a rock. I present him with my crab as best I can, but he doesn't come down fast enough and the line is blocked by oysters, which are very present here and make fishing very complicated. He moves on and comes to my suspended crab, but he's not fooled, turns back and disappears.
I wait on the post, because I'm at the right moment of the tide. A sea bass will pass very quickly and it won't be possible to present him with a fly.
Selective fish
After a while without seeing anything, I decide to walk along the edge. I rediscover the area, and notice that the bottom is littered with wild oysters! I couldn't remember the exact configuration of the place, and immediately started to think. How do you approach this job profile? First of all, I replace my 25° tip and rig a 28° piece of fluorocarbon to limit abrasion and maybe manage to hit and pull out a sea bass on this type of spot. I'm also using a small goby imitation which sinks very little and stays suspended thanks to its wide UV resin head which traps air.
I spot the first black sea bass between the oysters. I try an approach, but my leader lands on the oysters and gets stuck! I can't animate my fly anymore. It's impossible to fish properly from my position, and the risk of cutting is high. The sea bass is running away at full speed. Damn!
A few meters further down, a big sea bass (70 cm) is also posted, head down, about to pounce on its prey. I cast my goby and start to animate it, but the sea bass grabs its prey (which seemed to have lifted off the bottom, perhaps a small fish) and takes off. He didn't have time to see my fly! A great missed opportunity.
Further down, another sea bass of the same ilk is also between the oysters, but I can't make it out very well in the poor light. I don't manage to see him again and present him with my fly. It's a good sign, the fish are there and active. Now we just need to find out how to approach them and seduce them!
I move up the edge and land on the first black fish. I present him with the goby again, telling myself it's the best option, as I don't see how I can land a crab on this oyster-strewn bottom! He's not the least bit interested and stays put.
So I decided to mount a crab to test it out, choosing one that was fairly small and light. The idea is to present it between two waters without it reaching the bottom, where it would be doomed anyway!
The first throw goes a little wide and there's no reaction. I try to throw close without frightening him by cushioning the landing. Then I do a long strip to get my crab past him without letting it fall between the oysters. He's in 40 cm of water. It's an arduous maneuver! He sees it, follows it, engages it and leaves with it. It's not long before he's hooked. I have to move forward quickly to fight him with the rod up to avoid my leader rubbing against the oysters, which are as sharp as razor blades! It's a powerful fight, and despite its average size, it's a powerful one. The landing net is a great help and I force him to go for it. Phew! Not an easy maneuver, but a success! I'm so pleased! The line was perfect!
Then I'll see nothing more on this edge. It's time to change stations and go and see where I had taken my very first bar.
Bad weather makes fishing very difficult
I went straight to the spot where that first pretty bass, a 54 cm specimen, had turned me into a sight-fishing fly fisherman and where this new passion began.
The structures are still there, the level perfect and I soon come across my first marauding fish. As at the previous station, and just about everywhere else on this estuary, the bottom is made up of a strip of wild hutre which prevents me from putting my fly on the bottom. I therefore had to cast closer and keep the line taut to cushion the descent of my fly by casting a long slow strip. This pretty sea bass of nearly 60 cm goes by quickly and I don't know whether he saw my crab or simply ignored it...
Immediately afterwards, another slightly shorter fish appears on the edge. Same story, but he doesn't like the presentation and refuses my fly. I have to admit I'm a bit stuck, and I'm not sure how to approach this type of position once again.
The wind picks up and a thick foam forms on the shore, making visibility very difficult. I know the sea bass like this area. So I have to persevere. I walk along the edge, getting closer and keeping my fly and leader in my hand so as to be ready to cast at the slightest moving scale! It's the only way, as it's impossible to see more than 3 metres away from me. After a good ten minutes without seeing any fish, a slight eddy catches my eye. It's a sea bass, and just as I realize it, my crab is already in the water in its path. The sea bass sees it and sucks it right in. Hanged! An action that took place at incredible speed. I also bridle him so as not to get cut in the oysters and slip him as quickly as possible into my net. Brilliant!
I'm very happy, because frankly, the conditions aren't at all ideal. I decide to walk faster and check out an area further out where the seaweed is less abundant. The area is pretty and looks interesting, but unfortunately I don't see any sea bass. I insist a little, but conditions don't improve. All I see is a dark sea bass, which leaves as quickly as it came. End of my fishing trip with a great deal of satisfaction, but also plenty of food for thought as I try to find alternative ways of fishing this type of area, which is complex for my usual sight-fishing.
