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At last, an outing for my own pleasure!
The river guiding season is coming to an end and it's been a busy one! I've had very few slots to myself this year, due to work commitments!
I've hardly been on trout, and only on bass in micro-slots. I'd been wanting to do a full day for a long time, and following a last-minute cancellation, here I am on my way to a beautiful Breton estuary.
On the program, I'm going to look for sea bass on sight in an area of oyster beds, then a very special edge, followed by beach fishing for a change and a trip to the seaside.
Conditions will be mixed, with showers, sunshine and little wind in the morning, but the wind will pick up and blow in the wrong direction on the beaches of South Finistère. No matter, summer is drawing to a close and you don't want to miss out on the slots, as the bars get busier with falling temperatures and shorter days.
In any case, at the bar, and especially on sight, you have to go as far as possible to understand the spots, find marauding bars and stumble on the right days.
Active sea bass in the estuary...
I arrive at the very end of the descent. I couldn't get here earlier. The light is good and there's no wind at the moment. The waters are very clear, which will enable me to spot the bass, but I'll have to be very discreet. Indeed, the first sea bass I see will soon have given me the slip!
Coefficients are 68 and not all the parks are going to uncover. Sea bass like to stand under pockets and hunt below those that are flush with water to block shrimp.
No sooner had I arrived than a small chase broke out, but the bass didn't reach me and they were too far away to attempt a cast between the rows.
Even though they hunt on shrimps, I've got into the habit of offering them an imitation crab, which I find I get less rejection from. This also allows me to select the fish and take the prettiest ones.
You need to cast as close to the hunt as possible, unlike the usual sight-fishing, to play on the competition for food. Generally, the first one to see the crab pounces on it and sucks it in between two waters.
Then another hunt explodes and arrives at the end of the row, on my side. Perfect! I throw as close as I can. My crab falls into the water, flush with the table. A sea bass comes out all excited and I see it open its mouth. The fish is hooked, and it's the first fish of the day. I still have to keep him on the spot or prevent him from going under the structures. I used 14 lbs (32°), which allows me to restrain the fish a little. Fortunately, he's around 50 cm long and I managed to counter his first rush and then, by moving around, prevent him from going back under the pens.
I love these actions, because everything is so intense. The chase that explodes, the throw that has to be fast and precise, and the well-managed fight - if not, it's guaranteed mayhem! In short, it's always a thrill ride!
Pretty bars on the edges
I'll see a few marauding bars, but I won't have any other good opportunities. The only ones I tried were already on the run. No hunting on the rise. How strange! Sometimes it's the rising that's better, sometimes it's the other way round. Some days they're active during both phases of the tide.
I pull back from the parks, and walk along an edge where wild oysters grow. Crabs love to feed here and take refuge. Sea bass often pass by when the water is higher, but fishing for them is complex, as the oysters make presentation dangerous!
I discovered this spot this season while guiding, and I've already caught a few nice bass there in these conditions. This time, it's my turn to give it a try!
After quite some time without seeing any fish in the recesses of the pens, on the seaweed and a few small areas of seaweed, I finally see a nice sea bass looking for crabs. He's got his nose to the bottom and seems quite active. I approach him, but the sound of an oyster cracking sends him scurrying away! It's infuriating!
But a few metres further on, a second sea bass is also strolling nonchalantly along. He moves away from the edge and I have time to place my crab a metre ahead, right in his path. He picks it up as he passes and takes off with it. Brilliant! Quickly, the fish needs to be reeled in as the oysters are very sharp and if my leader grazes one of them, I'm going to lose it.
I bridle him hard to keep him from rubbing his mouth on the bottom and keep him on the surface. A sea bass of this size creates quite a stir and gives big headbutts. Once again, it's intense!
I'm able to reel it in thanks to my 32° (I fish at 25° in the "normal" zone) and put it in the landing net, which is indispensable in the parks and scabrous areas!
It's a magnificent fish, measuring 57 cm, but much smaller than the few other sea bass I'll see later, which will come and "sniff" my crab before refusing it! It's only a postponement!
But also on the coast!
The water is now too high for this area, and I'm not motivated to wade through the mud today. I want to get to the coast and see a bit of the sea.
When I arrive, I'm a little disillusioned, as there are still a lot of tourists and the water is warm for Brittany, so a lot of people go swimming!
I still try to fish along the edges of the beach. I catch quite a few small bass of 25-35 cm, but I feel I'm disturbing people and leave this beach.
I think about it, and since I've got the day off, I drive a little way to a large, slightly steep beach, less suitable for swimming, to get some peace and quiet. I fished it twice at the end of the season last year, and once caught a nice sea bass at this time of the tide.
There are walkers, but few bathers. This will do!
I find an area that appeals to me, and rig my intermediate line with a small 7-8 cm streamer. After a few casts, I find that it swims too high with the rollers breaking on the edge and change the fly for a nice-sized imitation sandeel clouser.
I move a little at a time to cover a bit of ground and cast as far as I can with a back cast, as the wind is on my right shoulder with gusts up to 30 km/h, which has been common in recent years! This is a casting technique you absolutely must master for sea, lake or reservoir fishing, as it allows you to cast in all situations, especially against or with a misdirected wind.
After 20 minutes, on a long cast and from the very first animations, I register a big stop on the silk which stretches violently. I raise the rod and immediately sense that this time it's not a small one. The fish is very heavy and doesn't want to go into the water. Then I see it in the distance, it's angry and takes big head-butts on the surface while trying to spit out the fly. I tilt my rod to keep his head underwater and slow down his movements. After several minutes, I manage to bring him back from 20 meters from the shore where I cast him, into the surf and slide him onto the sand. It's superb and really fat for the season. A superb beach bass that gives me as much pleasure as a sight-seeing bass, thanks to its fighting spirit and morphology.
A beautiful moment. I'll insist 45 minutes after this catch in the same place and moving again. I'll miss another bite, but certainly from a modest fish. I think these pretty bass are just passing through. You have to cover a lot of ground to find them, but it confirms that this is an interesting beach where you can catch some nice bass.
A beautiful day that will do me a world of good with emotions, different fishing conditions and techniques and some great catches. What more could you ask for!
