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FISH GUIDE · Sea

Spotted seabass: identification, habitat and fishing guide

Dicentrarchus punctatus

A small coastal seabass with dark spots.

Catalogue names : Spotted seabass. Forms and names may vary between habitats.

Editorial review : · This species guide is not permission to fish. Read the precautions below and check the current rules for your location before targeting a species. Some species or populations are protected.

Geographical distribution

Found from the English Channel, where it is occasional, south to Senegal and the Canary Islands; FishBase also lists the southern Mediterranean and Gulf of Suez.

  • Documented presence : Eastern Atlantic
  • Documented presence : English Channel
  • Documented presence : Mediterranean Sea

Documented areas, not an exhaustive list. Presence in a region does not imply presence in every water body or permission to fish.

Distribution sources

Identification

Dicentrarchus punctatus retains spots as an adult. Young Dicentrarchus labrax may also be spotted: a pattern glimpsed from the surface is not a certain identification.

Two separate dorsal fins, spots and a black gill-cover mark; young European seabass can also be spotted.

Habitat

Its presence is documented in coastal marine and brackish waters. In France, confirm local observations rather than assuming it occurs in every estuary.

Coastal marine and brackish waters over varied bottoms.

Diet

Mainly shrimp and molluscs, also fish.

Behaviour

Its diet includes shrimp, molluscs and fish. This does not establish a feeding timetable or a species-specific angling protocol.

Guillaume Fourrier describes shoaling feeding activity; this observation does not establish a universal timetable.

Indicative biological size

Around 30 cm total length, the common length in FishBase.

Fishing context and precautions

Surface rig described by Guillaume Fourrier, to adapt to the venue and rules:

1. On a 0.80–2 m leader of 0.35–0.50 mm line, place a small teaser 15 cm ahead of a 9–13 cm surface lure.

2. Work the lure in a zigzag with regular rod-tip movements; the author describes two impulses per second as an example, not a requirement.

3. During observed feeding activity, he also suggests a shiny jig while keeping the teaser. Check the permitted number of hooks before using this rig.

A distinctive feature

The spots persist in adults.

Sources and review

Each reference includes its access date. Overall editorial review: . Local conditions and regulations may change.

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