Sea bass fishing spots: rocky coasts from shore and by boat

On the French coastline, sea bass anglers can enjoy a wide variety of profiles and landforms in which to indulge their passion. Rocky coasts, sometimes steep, are places where sea bass and many other species can be found on a regular basis.

Thierry Cendrier Published on January 17, 2025

How do you identify them?

The best way to identify good spots on rocky coasts is to take a Sunday stroll with the family. The ideal time is at low tide, when you can observe the relief and underwater substrates.

However, it is also possible to use the various aerial view sites.

While all rocky coasts can harbor fish, you need to be aware that they won't all be good at the same time, and that it's important to identify coasts with varied and different profiles, and if possible with different wind orientations.

Why fish rocky coasts?

Rocky coasts are excellent spots for sea bass fishing (under certain conditions), as their often jagged relief offers numerous current deviations which, as we know, channel the flow of food, but also allow sea bass to post up.

This jagged relief also favors a succession of coves and peaks, as well as changes in substrate and corridors between rocks and seaweed, where crustaceans abound and sea bass like to cruise, hidden, in search of easy prey.

What's more, as they are often steep, they offer direct access to the depths, which is a reassuring feature for the fish and means that they are willing to stay there longer, at any time of day.

Difficult to access, these spots are seldom visited by anglers, and their calm and low fishing pressure once again favor the presence and activity of sea bass.

Last but not least, rocky coasts, when subjected to swell, offer a large quantity of suspended food that is torn from the rock. This presence of micro-organisms and other slightly larger prey forms the basis of a local food chain, with sea bass at the top.

Which ones to fish for?

Rocky coasts offering the most varied and indented profiles and naturally exposed to the current are obviously excellent. But the presence of swell, and therefore exposure to the current, is often the decisive factor in finding sea bass in abundance.

However, these spots are steep and naturally difficult, and sometimes dangerous, to access. This is even more true when they are exposed to swell.

Safety first

So safety must be a top priority! You'll need to know how to get to the spots in dry, swell-free conditions, fish in shallows and let your friends and family know exactly where you are and when you'll be out.

And don't visit the steepest spots or those most exposed to swell. Be reasonable, wait for days when the swell is smaller, and bear in mind that some spots are naturally inaccessible from the shore.

Boat safety is also a must, and it's totally out of the question to visit these spots in a heavy swell. Choose days when the wind is moderate and fish with at least two people and the motor running. Common sense dictates that you should always leave one person at the helm, ready to maneuver and anticipate when moving away from the rock.

What techniques and lures for bass?

On this type of spot, it's sometimes essential to be able to cast close to the rock and quickly into hollows. So don't hesitate to overhang your lure to make long casts and prevent it from being tossed about too much by the swell. The idea is to accompany the lure's descent so that it skirts the coastline as long as possible. Then animate with a pull, fly or linear action, depending on your preferences and the mood of the fish.