Even though walking around on rocks along the coast may feel annoying, it’s often a good indicator of the presence of optimal bottom conditions for the sea trout and its food options. Everything from pebble to huge chunks of granite provides cover for sand hoppers, shrimp, and small fish. If there are waves, these food options are easily whirled up into the water column. A rocky bottom can be good all year round, but especially so during the cold months with few food options in the deeper water. A rocky bottom at a good depth also attracts other predatory fish such as cod and garfish.
A coastal spot with varied bottom conditions is often a good place to find the fish. In different seasons of the year, the fish prefer different bottom conditions – depending on weather conditions and the presence of food options. For that reason, choosing spots with varied bottom conditions can prove effective, since you’re almost sure to find fish nearby.
A stretch of coast with sand bottom and scattered rocks covered in bladder wrack is often called leopard bottom, because it resembles the pattern found in the leopard’s fur. These bottom conditions are always important to fish, since the sea trout often hunts above the sand between seaweed bushes and rocks. The contrast between the sand and the food options along the bladder wrack provides the sea trout with an advantage during the hunt.