A fascinating game fish
Full of subtlety and variety, European sea bass fly fishing opens up new and vast horizons to fly fishermen who love freedom, diversity and the search for new emotions with their fly rod in hand.
This sublime sport fish haunts the European coasts. In total, it ranges from Norway to Senegal. It can be found all around the interior of Europe, including the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. In other words, we Europeans have a first-class fish for crossing the barrier from fresh to salt water without having to consider long-distance trips to the Caribbean or the Indian Ocean.
An opportunist species par excellence, the European sea bass offers multiple challenges to fly fishermen whatever their level of practice.

A wide range of options
It frequents a large number of habitats and can be found as far inland as the estuaries of coastal rivers and also in tidal ponds and marshes. Thus, it’s interested in a wide variety of prey, fish, crustaceans and insects. Its diet is so heterogeneous that it allows fly fishermen to develop infinite strategies, techniques and approaches to overcome its wariness. It’s one of the most interesting for fly fisherman in salt water.

Sea bass are everywhere and very often where you would not expect them to be. Whether sight fishing, prospecting, interception, or surface fishing, you can find them on foot, or in a boat. And don’t be fooled, they can be in very shallow water, or deep water.
The fishing tactics will depend on the territory and the coastline that you visit. Some areas have resident fish, where as others have migrating fish depending on the tides and the seasons. You might do some delicate fishing on fine tippets with small imitations of shrimps, prawns, sand fleas, mysis, micro-alevins. Or, maybe something a bit heavier with imitations of crabs, forage fish, or cephalopods. You can also try provocation fishing on the surface, with poppers and other gurglers. Lastly, another strong option is heavier fishing with sinking lines and imitations of large prey (mackerel, horse mackerel, sardines, etc.), the list is long and not exhaustive. It is important to know what equipment you need to be effective at these different tactics, and to have them rigged accordingly.

The basics
For the newcomer to the world of fly fishing for sea bass, the first priority is to identify the coastal areas frequented by fish and which can be fished regularly with a fly. We too often associate the presence of sea bass with white water, exposed coasts, strong currents. However, for us fly fishers, these areas only interest us exceptionally, on the occasion of particularly calm weather conditions. However, if you have adapted boat and are an expert in navigating in “stirring” places, they’re more appealing.

Finding the best spots
From the shore, finding areas protected from the prevailing winds is essential. Westerly winds are generally the most favorable because they are correlated with cloudy masses that attenuate the luminosity and encourage sea bass to venture into shallow waters. However, this is not an absolute rule and it is possible to fish very well with a north-easterly wind. This is because north-easterly wind is generally a stabilizer for good weather.
Preference is given to bays, creeks and estuaries with a gentle to moderate slope. This is where the diversity of marine habitats attracts sea bass in search of their main food: green crab.
It could be summarized as follows: where there are no shore crab (or green shore crab), there is little chance that there will be adult-sized sea bass (40 cm and over). For this crustacean to be present, rocks and seaweed such as rockweed, bladder wrack, flat wrack, toothed wrack are required.

Crabs=fish!
The green crabs spend most of their time going up and down the intertidal zone and the sea bass spend their time following it. I’m simplifying a bit but it’s not far from reality. And this is easily verified by autopsying the fish: even if the stomach contains forage fish, it is rare that we don’t find a few crabs. Sometimes these crabs are surprisingly large in relation to the size of the dissected fish.
For seaweed to grow, there must be a current that guarantees good oxygenation and provides the nutrients that the plants and linked fauna feed on. Moreover, the sea bass is a predatory fish that is incredibly opportunistic. So, as long as you find cover for them, there’s a good chance you’ll find fish.
The Moon
The phases before and after the new moon should be favored. During the full moon the bass feed at night and sleep/digest during the day. This is another matter, but conversely, night fly fishing for bass is particularly effective during a full moon.

Tides
Except at the ends of the day on certain points or beaches where bass may skirt the shore at high tide, the best time of the tide is the end of the ebb, the low slack and the beginning of the flood.
You should not plan a long trip on the foreshore without having scouted the area at different tide levels and you should always anticipate your return. This is especially true if you have to cross areas with strong currents. Always inform someone of the precise location where you are going and wear a self-inflating life jacket. Additionally, it’s best to fish in pairs at least.
As far as tidal coefficients are concerned, medium to low amplitudes and a reasonable tidal range are to be preferred. In my opinion, the decreasing coefficients are the most favourable. It is difficult to give precise figures because the tidal range varies enormously depending on where you are in Europe. The equinox tides should be avoided as they generate very strong currents and often put a lot of seaweed debris in suspension, which stalls the fish and makes fly fishing inoperative.

Tackle
As far as the equipment is concerned, I usually use 9 foot rods 7/8 or 8/9 weight. This allows me to deal with most situations. My custom “Sea Bass Special” Bay of Morlaix I & II rods are my favorites and I also use the Guideline LPX Coastal series in #8.
For reels, I use Lamson Speedster HD and Guideline Halo, but unless you want to indulge yourself, and apart from the need for a large arbor to limit line memory, it is very rare that you have time to fight a bass on a reel. Usually you have to stop it as best you can with the capacities of the leader and the rod to prevent it from taking refuge in the seaweed, under the oyster tables, or the submerged rocks. “Don’t let it swim” is what I always recommend to my students.

Intermediate Line
Whether for myself or for guiding, my line is for 90% of the time a Striper Intermediate with a transparent tip. This line was designed for fishing the North American striped bass. the Striper or Striped Bass is the closest cousin of the European bass, so the fly lines and other leaders referenced “striped bass” are perfectly adapted to fishing the European sea bass, which like the striper, lives in cold to temperate waters.
I have been using RIO Striper Lines for many years with complete satisfaction but other brands such as Scientific Anglers, Monic, Cortland and Guideline offer excellent models as well.
Floating Line
If you are sight fishing in very skinny water or between the rows of oyster beds, you can also use a light colored or transparent floating line (ghost).
The leader should be tapered and fairly long (one and a half rod lengths), starting at 50 lbs and ending at 8 to 16 lbs depending on the situation (wind speed, presence of obstacles, water clarity and fly size). The terminal section (tippet) is at least 1.20cm long for a subtle presentation and good resistance to stretching (elasticity). I only use special saltwater fluorocarbon which has good abrasion resistance. Fulling Mill Masterclass has proven itself in larger diameters.
Strategy
The approach should be slow and stealthy. If you can avoid wading, all the better. Sea bass are stealthy, wary and also curious fish. Where possible, use the terrain for ambush and keep a low profile. Avoid shinny reels, reel seats, rods and clothing. The fishing action consists in casting the fly over or close to obstacles, wherever a sea bass may be ambushed, usually with the nose to the current. A delicate presentation and an underwater rod tip retrieve will increase the chances of success. The strike occurs, if not immediately, within the first 3/4 meters of retrieval. It can be subtle (loss of line tension control) or extremely brutal. In all cases, setting the hook is made by pulling on the line with the rod tip down. This is called a strip set.
And remember: don’t let it swim!
My best flies selection
My favourite fly patterns are the Slinky Clouser in sizes #06 and #02. I catch the vast majority of fish with this pattern everywhere, which can imitate both fish and crustaceans. This fly should be retrieved with long pulls while marking short pauses.

When bass are clearly feeding on fry or forage fish, it is advisable to switch to more imitative models. The Softy Sand Eel is best for this, and is available in 3 colors and 2 sizes depending on the situation.



I also really like the Salty Baitfish Anchovy in #02 and #1/0 and the essential Daz’s Sandeel Olive & White 2/0. I use these when bass are hunting substantial prey. These flies are best cast with 8/9 weight rods.


For sight fishing in shallow water, the Eye Candy and Sand Shrimp Punter’s Choice are good choices. So are the Clouser Non Tangle and the smaller models (#06 and #02) of the Salty Clousers (Grey, Brown, Olive, Chatreuse and Black).




To imitate our beloved green crabs, I have also had excellent results by sight or by stripping on the bottom with patterns originally intended for bonefish and permit: Gumby Crab Olive, Weedless Flexo Crab Olive, Sidney Shrimp Olive, Vlahos Bahama Shrimp Olive, and Fuzzle Shrimp Olive. The Breton sea bass of the Bay of Morlaix and the Rade de Brest loved it!





Final Gear
A pair of waders, a waterproof backpack or chest pack, a good stripping basket, a pair of long nose pliers, a good nipper, polarised glasses and a neutral coloured cap with a long visor complete the equipment needed. And don’t forget the tide tables and a mobile phone in a waterproof case.
Check out Phil’s website below!
https://www.brittanyflyfishing.com/en/fly-fishing-for-sea-bass/