Usual size
35–70 cm
Maximum
200 cm
Where
Open sea (by boat)
When
Rough abundance from shore in each sea
Gulf of Cádiz
Mediterranean and Balearics
Canary Islands
Late summer to autumn offshore, always in the shade of something floating (reeds, pallets, crates or buoys). In the Balearics it is the big catch of September and October.
Natural baits
- Live fish (bogue, horse mackerel)
- Squid
Lures
- Trolled minnows and soft baits
- Stickbaits and poppers
- Metal jigs
How to recognise it
Long, compressed body, golden green with blue dots, a dorsal fin running from head to tail and, in adult males, a tall, flat forehead.
Tip
Work your lure close to any floating object; when one bites, keep another hooked in the water while landing it and the school will stay.
Minimum size and rules by area
Atlantic Andalusia
Mediterranean Andalusia
Ceuta
Melilla
Murcia
Valencia region
Catalonia
No minimum size; at most 5 per person per day.
Closed season: Closed season 1 January – 14 August.
Balearic Islands
No minimum size; at most 5 per angler per day.
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 →