How do you fish by the sea?

seaside fisherman

Seaside fishing is a common practice in France. As much of our territory is bordered by waters between the sea and oceans, there are many alternatives to boat fishing for casting your line and catching a variety of fish species such as sea bass, mullet, conger, goby… Thanks to our wide range of sea fishing equipment, you are spoilt for choice to practice the sea fishing that suits you!

The practice of surfcasting remains one of the most used techniques. It involves casting baits at varying distances to target a broad selection of fish such as sea bass, sea bream, sole, mullet, conger… For these types of fish, you can use as bait:

worms,
cuttlefish pieces,
crabs,
shrimp.

Rigging and the hook will play a significant role in the success of your fishing day. Your rig should be adapted to the current strength and the targeted fish strength. As for the hook, it should be adapted to your bait to make your rig the strongest and most discreet possible.

Retrieval casting with lures is another widely used technique. Providing fishermen great mobility, it allows going towards the fish, searching for them. With a rod and an intermediate size reel, it allows to practice for hours without fatigue, searching for sea bass in very different spots such as ports, beaches or rocky coasts.

You can also explore other techniques. There are several of them, often taught with some advice from the elders. We could mention the so-called water bubble technique, which allows casting very far even against the wind, or even eging practices that do not target the wolf at all, but rather cephalopods which include cuttlefish and squid.

The Surfcasting Technique

You see them if you regularly stroll by the water, especially near the beach. Fishermen practicing surf always have long rods on spikes, slightly tilted, with the tip constantly moving, especially when there is a heavy swell. The line is stretched and the fisherman regularly observes this tip that acts as a touch sensor.

The objective of this technique is to cast natural baits as far as possible. For this, you need to be equipped with long rods and a reel with a spool capable of quickly releasing line. Weights and meticulous rigging will be necessary to give you the best chance of attracting fish. There are numerous rigging and bait possibilities, which can significantly vary depending on the fish.

You can use pieces of cuttlefish, shrimp, worms or even sardines. Some practitioners in rocky areas also use crabs with very good results. The positioning of the hook on your bait will significantly determine the success of your fishing, and some advice before starting can be beneficial.

You will target varied fish. From turbot to sea bass, through all the sparids, meager and more colorful fish for exotic destinations. With surfcasting fishing, you open yourself to many possibilities if you have patience. You will need to learn to read the sea or ocean and understand your prey's movement in currents and tidal movements.

Retrieval Casting

This is the most used technique in recent years. The democratization of lure fishing, and the different models offered, led to significant growth, demystifying the technical mastery aspect. Thus, you no longer need a boat to catch sea bass; coherent and adapted equipment can lead to exciting sessions.

You can practice it in ports, near dikes or other human-made constructs. We then speak of rockfishing, which guarantees the capture of many types of small fish but will also interest more noble predators. This technique is also practiced on beaches. When the sea recedes, it forms water holes where gobies often hide. This small rock fish feeds on worms and larvae. With a very light and sensitive rod, you can fish this fish that reminds of the bullhead.

From the edge of rocks, you can fish on the surface or fly-cast. With throws of tens of meters, you can animate both swimming fish at measured depths and soft baits with lightly weighted heads. To achieve longer casting distances, opt for a casting jig. This slim and dense lure is easily thrown and is very effective for fishing many species of marine predators. It proves very useful for surpassing swell waves.

Then there remain the techniques for facing sometimes rough waters or quite strong wind conditions. With long rods, you will try to cast as far as possible a buldo accompanied by a lure or bait. The concept's density will enable you to pierce the air without being slowed down. Its buoyancy and density ensure successful animations at all speeds while always maintaining contact with the lure and touch detection.

Other Possible Techniques

The fishing techniques to practice at the seaside are actually quite numerous. This is due to sometimes local traditions that still persist today. The specificity of some fishing spots also requires adapted fishing techniques.

The anchored line is undoubtedly one of the most used techniques. A tense line with baits or various imitations, this method enables low-fatigue activity that proves very effective. You will use both baits and lines with feathers. You can practice at a fixed spot or use a natural drift.

The so-called bottom fishing practices are also part of the range of possibilities from the dikes or docks. The presence of a considerable depth allows to touch fish of a large size and varied species to enjoy regular surprises at the touch.

You may also be interested in the upper part of the water column. We talk about floating line where we mimic the drift of a fish or prey adrift. There are different rigs on which you can lean on. Take advantage of your current reading to send your hooks quite far.

Finally, to discover the intertidal zone and its richness, nothing beats a few hours of shore fishing, with boots firmly attached to your ankles. This is an opportunity to show your children that you can forage as well at sea as in the countryside. These few hours will surely remain as a memorable moment of sharing and storytelling. However, don't forget to watch the tide so as not to get stuck!

Fishing with a squid jig is a lot of fun! This fishing technique is intended for hunting cephalopods such as cuttlefish and squid. The squid jig (also called calamarette) aims to mimic a shrimp. There are different sizes and densities for fishing more or less deep and fast. This fishing technique is practiced on a boat but also from the shore.