Caution. It bites hard: keep your fingers away from its mouth.
Usual size
20–35 cm
Maximum
60 cm
Where
Rock · Harbours and breakwaters
When
Rough abundance from shore in each sea
Gulf of Cádiz
Mediterranean and Balearics
Canary Islands
Summer and early autumn, when the water is warm, around breakwaters, harbours and rocks. It is increasingly common on the Spanish coast.
Natural baits
- Mussel
- Prawn
- Crab
- Squid
How to recognise it
Deep, compressed body, olive grey, leathery skin, a small mouth with strong teeth and a first dorsal spine that locks upright.
Tip
It steals bait with small nibbles: use a small, strong hook, a tough bait (tied mussel or squid) and strike at the slightest touch.
Minimum size and rules by area
Atlantic Andalusia
Mediterranean Andalusia
Ceuta
Melilla
Murcia
Valencia region
Catalonia
Balearic Islands
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 →