Surf fishing is very popular with European Bass.

Salt, Brackish and Fresh Water

The European Bass can be found in estuaries, lagoons, coastal waters and rivers. Having the ability to survive in both freshwater and salt water. This is a trait not common to many bass. Some like the Australian Bass will migrate to brackish water to spawn, but no other bass can exist in both salt water and freshwater with so much ease. Moreover, most bass are freshwater fish only and are land locked like the Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass..

Distribution

The European Bass has a rather large habitat and population. It can be found stretching from the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Senegal, into the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and around the Canary Islands.

Deep Dwellers?

In the ocean the adult bass live in coastal waters down to about 330 feet, but are more commonly found in shallow waters where it is warm.

They are found in various kinds of bottoms on estuaries, mud flats, lagoons and occasionally rivers. The European Bass enter coastal waters and river mouths in summer, but migrate offshore in colder weather and occur in deep water during winter in the northern range.

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world’s oceanic divisions and covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth’s surface. The average depths of the Atlantic, with its adjacent seas, is 10,936 feet/3638 metres deep, with the European Bass only going as deep as 330 feet/100 metres and no more than a few hundred miles off the coast of Europe. Most of the time they are within 50 miles/80 kilometres off the coast with the exception of the North Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea is almost enclosed by land with only nine miles of open ocean on the west side. It covers an approximate area of 965,000 square miles/2,499,388 square kilometres and offers a rich and varied fishing population. The Mediterranean Sea is quite deep, averaging about 5000 feet/1,524 metres deep, but at it’s deepest point, it is a staggering 17,000 feet deep/5,181 metres. Again, the European Bass prefers the shore area and only goes as deep as 330 feet/100 metres.

The Black Sea is located between south-eastern Europe and the Anatolian peninsula and is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas and various straits. The Black Sea has an area of 68,495 square miles/177,401 square kilometres and a maximum depth 7,200 feet/2194 metres – still very deep when compared to many inland seas and lakes.

Feeding

The European Bass will eat a variety of foods including mollusks, crabs, prawns, shrimp, razor clams, squid, baitfish and the every popular worm. However, we recommend focusing on baits and lures that will restrict your catch to bass fishing. Worms are a bad choice as they will attract every fish in the river or ocean. For more details on the types of tackle and where to fish, see our techniques section at the top right of this page.

Surf Fishing

Surf fishing is very popular with this species of bass. It does take a completely different set of tackle, but it is certainly worth the experience. European bass are often found in the surf and make for an exciting fight.