Bass

Dicentrarchus labrax

Often referred to as ‘Sea Bass’, the bass is a favourite food fish. For anglers though, the bass provides fantastic sport when targeted with light tackle. Bass can be caught on lures, bait and the fly; they are a true sportfish. Bass can be caught throughout the year in Wales with the peak months being May through to November when larger bass make an appearance around our shores. 

Bass can be encountered in a huge variety of coastal water – from storm beaches and rocky marks to estuaries – they can be found almost anywhere off the Welsh coast, sometimes even in freshwater in the lower reaches of rivers. 

Bass are extremely slow growing – a 10lb bass could be over 20 years old. Bass are vulnerable to overfishing and there is a bag limit of 2 bass per angler per day in force in the UK. The minimum size of European seabass is 42 cm. February and March are a mandatory ‘Catch and Release’ period.

We advocate catch and release of bass in Wales.

Find places to go bass fishing in Wales here.