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The rising tide
The rising tide is the time of the flood. During this phase, the sea gradually covers the foreshore and pushes prey towards the shore. Predatory fish, including sea bass, naturally follow this movement and move closer to the shore, becoming more accessible to fishermen from the coast.
Depending on the spot, the phenomenon is more or less pronounced.
In estuaries, it's particularly visible: the sea seems to "fill" the landscape, gradually increasing in volume as it rises.
On the rocky points, the areas are gradually covered and currents set in. This creates very interesting ambush positions for hunting bass, who exploit these water movements to feed.
One disadvantage of the rising lure is that it can carry algae to the surface. In some cases, this makes the spot difficult to fish, both on the surface and with soft lures.
The best times for the rising tide vary from area to area, but I personally prefer the phase when food-rich areas begin to be covered. These areas can often be identified by the pools left at low tide. They concentrate small fish, crustaceans...
Conversely, the upper foreshore is generally less productive. The biotope is different, with more bare rock, less seaweed and therefore less retained food.
As a result, I often find it less interesting to fish too close to the open sea, when the spot is completely covered and the hunting zones become less legible and less localized.
The ebbing tide
The ebb tide, also known as the flood tide, corresponds to the moment when the current reverses and the water mass withdraws towards the open sea.
I approach these spots differently, mainly looking for the narrow passages where prey are forced to transit to leave the areas they've colonized on the way up. The lower the water level, the more visible these bottlenecks become.
Fish, including sea bass, are particularly fond of these areas, where food is naturally concentrated. They lie in ambush downstream, ready to pounce on the slightest prey passing within their field of vision.
My favorite time to fish the ebbing tide depends once again on the configuration of the spot. I focus mainly on the water level at which bottlenecks become legible and functional.
As long as there's too much water, prey can still escape via multiple paths. But as the water recedes, they are forced to pass through specific points, creating highly effective hunting zones for sea bass.
I particularly enjoy fishing them by casting across the current, or slightly downstream (¾ downstream), to present the lure naturally.
What if the most important thing was the movement of water?
As you can see, every position is different. There is no universal fishing time that will suit all areas. The key is to understand when a spot concentrates the fish.
Depending on the direction of the current and the height of the water, a current vein can be non-existent on the way up or, on the contrary, very pronounced on the way down. It all depends on the configuration of the site.
That's why it's important to return to an area at different stages of the tide to see for yourself when it becomes really productive for bass fishing.
Above all, remember this: it's not a question of "rising or falling" per se, but of the timing of the tide and the concentration of the food. Each spot is unique, and that's what makes the difference.
