Dicentrarchus labrax - Bass
One of the most exciting of all sport fish that can be
caught from the shore, bass can grow to 15 lb (7 kg) or more in Welsh
coastal waters, and a record specimen of almost 17 lb was caught from the
shore at Aberthaw in 1980. The West Wales storm beaches provide
particularly good fishing, while some of the rocky coves on the Gower are
also well worth a visit.
Bass are slow-growing fish and take between 10 and 20
years to reach full maturity. It is therefore very important not to kill
undersized bass (the legal size limit is 41 cm or 16 inches) or to take
more than a modest catch when the fishing is easy; the future of bass
fishing depends upon fishermen acting responsibly towards stock
conservation.
Wales is at the northern limit of the bass's geographical
range, and in autumn they migrate to warmer waters where they spend the
winter months. Bass fishing is therefore very much a fair-weather sport.
Spinning and fly fishing for bass on storm beaches or from rock perches are
becoming increasingly popular methods of seeking this fine sporting fish.
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