May brings the return to our shores of the larger Sea Bass, One of the most exciting of quarries. We in the South of England are blessed with a perfect mix of Harbours, Estuary and Beaches all perfect habitat for this Queen of sea fish.

With many Fly Fisherman now wishing to add a little salt to their diet after experiencing Bone fishing abroad it is with great joy that they discover the hard fighting Sea Bass on their own doorstep. This fledgling sport offers a fantastic thrill as large wild fish power away from you with just a few ounces of Carbon Fibre to control your fish as line is being stripped from your reel at a speed of knots.

So it is sad that many keen on having a go at this sport struggle to get good advice on where to start.

What Rod do I need?

Any good #8 Weight Fly Rod will do, this may seem a bit heavy to many Trout anglers who might only normally use a #5 or #6 Weight Rod. A #8 Weight is necessary for Saltwater fishing as the Flies and Conditions are much more severe and Sea Bass will require a more powerful rod to stop them.

A good Large Arbour reel is required as you will need a reel that can give line quickly and hold a lot of backing.

Line
Locally we tend to use a floating line although because of the different densities between Saltwater and Freshwater most intermediate lines will also float.

Some do make their own shooting heads but I personally have not used one for fishing for Sea Bass. Simply I have always found my fish very close in, and not required the extra distance so would rather have the control and accuracy of a full fly line.

Leader
It is recommended that you use a 10 lb breaking strain this helps with stiffening your cast and helps land your fish as it charges between rocks weeds and any other obstruction it can find.

Flies
The local Sea Bass main diet will be Sand Eels, Shrimps, Shore Crabs and Small Fish so we will try to mimic this with our flies as we would match the hatch on a stream for Trout.

The sport is still in its early days and still relies on our established Bone Fishing brothers in the States for fly patterns. As we still tend to use heavily weighted shrimp patterns and Crazy Charlie’s also some streamer patterns too. Later in the summer poppers will also provide exciting surface action.

Warning
Saltwater is highly corrosive and even if you are using saltwater fly Tackle a quick wash off in freshwater is recommended to prolong the life of your expensive rod and reels after each trip.

Other Equipment
Polaroid Glasses - protect your eyes from the glare of the Sun and out of control Flies.

Waders - If you intend to wade this depends on the location as strong currents and soft mud can make this unwise.

A Mobile phone - Tides can soon rush in and leave you stranded it is wise to have a means of raising the alarm if things go wrong.

A Fishing Buddy - as you should never fish off rocks alone a freak wave or slip may require help plus no one in the pub will believe you caught a fish without a witness.

The Law
Sea Bass are wonderful eating fish but you should be aware there is a legal size limit.
The Current Minimum Legal size is 36cm any fish below this size should be returned many are trying to raise this size to 55cm as we speak. I tend to return all of my fish these days and eat Farmed Sea Bass this may seem a little crazy but protecting our wild stocks should be the objective of every fisherman.

Also be aware there are many local Bye Laws protecting and controlling the capture of Sea Bass and a visit to a local tackle shop may save you a hefty fine, These Bye Laws are also reproduced in many local fishing club handbooks.

Tip
With Tipex or a Marker Pen make a mark on your rod handle at 36cm that way you can quickly gauge if your fish is legal or not.

Where To Fish?
This is the hardest and easiest question as Sea Bass are found right along our Coast Line although there are notable hot spots around Chichester, Poole, Weymouth, and Christchurch Harbours, The Coastline of the Isle of Wight, Portland and Chesil Beach, also most Famously Kimmerage.

The more important thing is actually when to fish for Sea Bass, like most shore fish are easiest to catch an hour before high tide and an hour after with many larger specimens being captured during the hours of darkness.

The Retrieve.
Sea Bass are predators and love to chase their prey so a very fast strip often produces an aggressive response also if they are in a shoal competition between fish will also create an aggressive take. If you note the fish keep hitting your fly but not taking it as your Fly is hit stop retrieving immediately as Sea Bass often stun their victim before returning to attack. It is worth however considering the fly pattern you are fishing as crabs often float on the surface or move in a jerky movement along the bottom of the sea.

If you are truly interested why not hire a guide, I often do and this allows me to be escorted by a local to the Hot Spots and get amongst the fish straight away. I use Justin Anwyl at www.Bass-Fishing.co.uk

Another useful source of information is also BASS Anglers Sportfishing Society.

Articles from these sources and others can be found in our Articles section.