Caution. Very sharp teeth: keep your fingers out of its mouth and use pliers to unhook.
Usual size
30–60 cm
Maximum
110 cm
Where
Sand · Rock · Harbours and breakwaters
When
Rough abundance from shore in each sea
Gulf of Cádiz
Mediterranean and Balearics
Canary Islands
Autumn and winter on Mediterranean beaches and breakwaters, and late summer to autumn in the Gulf of Cádiz, when schools follow sardine and anchovy inshore. Best at dawn, dusk and with some swell.
Natural baits
- Sardine or mackerel strips
- Small live fish
- Squid
Lures
- Metal jigs 20–60 g
- Stickbaits and poppers
- Minnows
How to recognise it
Blue-green back and silver flanks, a slightly protruding lower jaw with sharp teeth and a dark blotch at the base of the pectoral fin.
Tip
Use a thin wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader: its teeth cut line. If you see birds diving or baitfish jumping, cast there and retrieve fast.
Minimum size and rules by area
Atlantic Andalusia
Mediterranean Andalusia
No minimum size in this zone's rules. Neighbouring regions: 40 cm; release smaller fish.
Ceuta
No minimum size in this zone's rules. Neighbouring regions: 40 cm; release smaller fish.
Melilla
No minimum size in this zone's rules. Neighbouring regions: 40 cm; release smaller fish.
Murcia
No minimum size in this zone's rules. Neighbouring regions: 40 cm; release smaller fish.
Valencia region
No minimum size in this zone's rules. Neighbouring regions: 40 cm; release smaller fish.
Catalonia
At most 2 per person per day.
Balearic Islands
No minimum size in this zone's rules. Neighbouring regions: 40 cm; release smaller fish.
Canary Islands
Fish are measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail; squid and cuttlefish by the mantle. If it is undersized, release it alive.
Official sources →