The bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, is one of the most, if not the most, sought after saltwater fishes in UK waters, and with commercial prices upwards of £10 per Kg we have a lot of competition in our quest from the commercial boats aiming to put “sea-bass” fillets on the menu of restaurants and wine-bars throughout the land.

With summer fast approaching, many anglers’ thoughts will turn to bass and to improve your chances you should be fishing either first or last light, and with the prospect of a big bass on the hunt...it’s often hard to stay in bed!

Bass can be found in most habitats, but the times at which they appear and feed can be quite limited. I have the options of  fishing surf beaches, small estuaries and creeks, a relatively large estuary, rocky ledges over deep water, marinas, shallow reefs, fast tide runs etc, etc. So should you stick to targeting one or two venues or cover them all? The answer is purely down to personal preference, for me variety is the spice of life – but I must admit, this can lead to more than the odd blank day!

Bass Facts:
Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) 

• Elongated, streamlined silver body, back grey-green to metallic blue-black
• Two similarly sized dorsal fins, first with 8 or 9 sharp spines
• Dark marking on gill cover, which also carries sharp spines
• Shore record: 19lb 0oz, 1988, Kent
• Boat record: 19lb 9oz, 1987, Kent

Bass Identification: This fish is the ultimate predator consisting of large mouth and streamlined body. Colouration is dominantly silver but the back will vary between green to grey blue which blends into a whitish belly. After catching your first bass you’ll quickly become aware of several spines. The bass possess two dorsal fins, the first of which has 8 or 9 very sharp spines which are accompanied by more armoury on the gill covers which also have a dark patch towards the rear edge.   

Lifestyle: Bass are found in small numbers all around the coast of the UK but prefer warmer waters and so are found in greater numbers in the south. They are migratory fish which tend to move offshore over winter, returning again to coastal waters in the spring with the same motivation that drives most things in life - ours and theirs, and that is food and sex.  At about five years of age they reach approximately 32 – 36 cm in length and weigh in the order of 1lb, they are sexually mature and enter shallow inshore waters and estuaries for spawning between May – August. Eggs are released into surface waters and hatch within 4 to 5 days. The fry stay within the confines and shelter of tidal pools, estuaries and creeks for their first few years, hence the setting up and the importance of protected nursery areas.

Location: Bass are voracious hunters who search out the shoreline and shallow reefs particularly during rough conditions for small school fish such as sandeels and sprats, and for shellfish, crabs and prawns which have been disturbed by the actions of the waves. Despite this ravenous appetite, bass are very slow growing – a 10lb fish could easily be 16 – 20 years old. Because of the slow rate at which they grow and mature, bass stocks are very vulnerable to over-exploitation. In order to allow these fish to spawn at least once, it is critical that we respect the minimum size limit of 36cm, and should even consider the proposed 45cm limit as accepted.

Advice: It is difficult to add to the mountains of advice available on catching bass, but I do have a few pointers:

• The WSF Bass Section is full of articles on all aspects of bass fishing from shore and boat, with bait or with lures.
• Mike Ladle is my bass fishing guru and I would strongly recommend having a look at his web-site (www.mikeladle.com) where his first book “Operation Sea Angler” has been revised and is freely available.
• Before you fish check out the regulations concerning your local nursery areas, which can be found on the Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society web-site at www.ukbass.com.