Spring Bass and Pollack Heating Up Along France's Atlantic Coast

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to bloke for all things angling along France's Atlantic Coast. It's April 17, 2026, evenin' here at 22:00, and the sea's callin' us out for some proper fishin'. Weather's mild today—mostly clear skies, temps hoverin' around 14-16°C with light westerly winds at 10-15 km/h, perfect for shore casts or boat runs. Sunrise was at 07:15, sunset 21:00, givin' us a solid 13.5 hours of daylight. Tides? High at La Rochelle hit 5.2m around 10:30 this mornin' and 5.8m at 22:45 tonight; lows at 1.1m midday and 0.9m pre-dawn tomorrow. Strong spring currents from the new moon—fish are movin' fast. Fish activity's rampin' up with warmin' waters at 12-14°C. Recent catches from Biarritz to Brittany report sea bass (bar) up to 5kg post-spawn headin' offshore, pollack hammerin' reefs, mackerel schools in close, and early garfish. Anglers at Arcachon Bay tallied 20+ bass per outing last week on soft plastics; Vendée surf saw black drum-like meagre on crab baits. White perch analogs like vieilles are schoolin' tidal rivers. Best lures: 20-40g metal jigs or soft shads in white/sardine for bass and pollack—work the drop-offs. Spoons like Anders (chrome) for mackerel. Live bait? Sand eels, ragworm, or peeler crab on 2/0 hooks shine. Fly boys, chuck zonker streamers for shallow trouty types. Hot spots: Hit the Gironde estuary mouth for bass on the ebb—schools of mullet draw 'em in. Or La Pointe de Grave rocks near Cap Ferret—prime for jiggin' pollack at low light. Tight lines, mes amis—stay safe out there. Thanks for tunin' in, and don't forget to subscribe! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.