Fishing for sea bream at the Solidor dock. Pure happiness in summer !

"In summer, the best time for sea bream is towards the end of the day when the dock starts to empty out of holidaymakers!"

A nice sea bream caught near the Solidor Tower

Fishing in Saint-Malo isn't always easy, especially due to the lack of information available online. However, there's no shortage of fish, and during the summer and fall, a very simple and effective technique is viable: sea bream fishing.

We arrive at the Tour Solidor at 5 pm to set up our rigs for the evening. In the peak of summer, it's crucial to fish either early or late as the hot days dull the fish activity, making fishing almost futile.

For the tackle, a double paternoster rig would be perfect to present two different baits to the sea bream.

Importance of the casting area.

During the two tide periods, the water recedes enough to reach the tip of the dock (as shown in the picture), allowing for much more accurate casting.

Solidor dock: better fish from the end of the dock at low tide as the water veins are more accessible there.

There are two areas where the fish are almost always present: The first is the large water vein formed behind the dock, where the larger fish gather. The second is along the edge of this large vein, where the smaller fish are found in greater numbers.

"To start the session, we all set a strong base for the black seabream—a strip of cuttlefish on the top hook and lugworms securely tied on the lower one."

Read also: A sea bass over 60 cm in length at the foot of Saint Malo intra muros

The sinker doesn’t even reach the bottom before the bites from various small fish come instantly (hence the binding of the worms to keep them securely on the hook).

The sea breams are so cute ! They look like cartoons'fishes !

The first legal-sized sea bream isn't long in coming, and for the larger ones, it's the squid strip that proves irresistible.

Read also: Fishing squids at the Solidor slipway. Very technical but so addictive !

An unexpected and spectacular catch!

After several breams, some of which were keepers, a much larger but unexpected fish grabbed the squid strip late in the evening: a beautiful small-spotted catshark. It's an extraordinary fish that I adore. It's like a miniature shark.

"Waoo! A small-spotted catshark ! Strong strike for a brief moment, a great rush of adrenaline, but unfortunately, a fight that fades away rather quickly."

Usually caught during the autumn and winter seasons, some of them enter the estuary at Solidor to take advantage of the water flow that brings all sorts of food. It's quite common to catch them at this fishing spot.

Good to know / Where is the fishing spot at the Solidor dock ?

No fishing permit is required for sea fishing. Squid fishing takes place from October to May, peaking in December, January, and February. Bundle up warmly: autumn and especially winter can be quite chilly due to the wind. How to get to Cale Solidor? By car (5 minutes from the intramural area) or on foot (15 minutes from intramuros). The Cale is located in Saint Servan, at the level of Tour Solidor, opposite Saint Père beach.

Le Solidor dock, near the Aleth hill (Saint Malo)

Also to visit in the area

• The Corbières Park. There's a lovely little cove that's really pleasant and not too crowded.

• The Briantais Park. Absolutely beautiful!

• And of course, the City of Aleth... and its pop-up bar in the summer according to my dad. Gorgeous view !!