Species › Europe, UK & Ireland · Saltwater › European Sea Bass

Saltwater

European Sea Bass

Dicentrarchus labrax · Bass, Sea bass, Bar

Water temp
55–68°F
Peak season
Jun–Oct
Best light
Low light
IGFA record
20 lb 11 oz (9.4 kg)
European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax LoroParqueTenerife seabass IMG 4959.JPG)

Photo: Bjoertvedt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

European sea bass are sleek, silver fish with a spiny first dorsal fin, a dark spot on the gill cover, a large mouth and a slightly forked tail. They range from southern Norway and the British Isles to Morocco and throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea, living in surf, rocky shorelines, estuaries and shallow flats in summer and moving offshore to spawn in winter. Bass hunt sandeels, crabs, shrimp and small fish, feeding hardest in low light, surf and moving water, often within feet of the shore. They are slow-growing and highly prized, which has driven strict recreational limits and made catch-and-release lure fishing the standard among dedicated bass anglers.

Typical size2–5 lb (1–2.5 kg); 16–24 in
Trophy10 lb+ (4.5 kg+); 15 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareExcellent — one of Europe's most valuable eating fish; but limits are tight, so most are released

Where & when

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Fish move inshore from April–May as water passes 54°F (12°C) and feed hardest from June to October; the Mediterranean and Portugal fish well into winter, while northern bass are gone by December.

Copper Coast, IrelandWaterford rock marks; premier lure bass coastBrittany (Finistère), FranceTidal reefs and estuaries; classic bar fishingEbro Delta, SpainMediterranean lagoons and surf for lubina

How to catch

Surface and shallow-diving luresCast slim 5–6 in surface sliders, poppers and shallow minnows over rocky reefs and gullies with a flooding tide, working them with twitches and pauses. Dawn, dusk and a bit of surf are prime; weedless soft plastics fish the same ground when weed is thick.
Live or fresh bait in the surfFish a live sandeel, peeler crab or whole squid on a running ledger or pulley rig in surf tables and estuary mouths after dark. Keep the line tight and strike at the firm pull; bass take and run.

Gear

Rod9–10' medium spinning, 10–40 g lure rating
Reel3000–4000 spinning
Line20 lb braid; 20–25 lb fluorocarbon leader

Lures

Surface slider or popperShallow-diving minnowWeedless soft-plastic sandeel

Baits

Peeler crabLive sandeelSquidRagworm

Regulations

Recreational sea bass fishing in the UK and EU is governed by a minimum size, a daily bag limit and a closed or catch-and-release period in winter and early spring that are set each year; Ireland requires release during the spring closed season. Check the current national guidance before keeping a fish.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 20 lb 11 oz (9.4 kg) — Stes Maries de la Mer, France, 1999 (Jean Baptiste Bayle). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best lure for European sea bass?

A 5–6 in slim surface slider or shallow-diving minnow in natural silver or white, fished at dawn or dusk over shallow reef on a rising tide, is the top choice. When fish are deeper or the weed is bad, a weedless soft-plastic sandeel on a light hook does the job. Work lures slowly with pauses rather than straight retrieves.

Bite forecast — European Sea Bass

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to European Sea Bass.

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