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FISH GUIDE · Sea

Salema: identification, habitat and fishing guide

Sarpa salpa

Adult salema graze on plants; a small-predator lure strategy is therefore not the starting point chosen here. Bread beneath a light float is an approach described by an angling author. Observe the shoal, present gently and adjust the drift rather than casting repeatedly.

Catalogue names : Salema. 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

Documented presence includes: Mediterranean Sea ; eastern Atlantic, Bay of Biscay and Gibraltar area ; Canary Islands, Madeira and Cape Verde.

  • Documented presence : Mediterranean Sea
  • Documented presence : eastern Atlantic, Bay of Biscay and Gibraltar area
  • Documented presence : Canary Islands, Madeira and Cape Verde

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

Sarpa salpa has a compressed body, a small mouth, numerous longitudinal yellow lines and a dark spot at the pectoral-fin base. Its incisors are prominent; the regular flank pattern is a useful feature.

Bogue are more slender and have fewer golden lines. A shining shoal seen from the surface does not always allow a decision: document the profile if you catch one, without prolonging handling.

Habitat

It lives in shoals near rocky or sandy bottoms covered with vegetation. Algae and seagrass explain its interest in these margins; do not tear them out to clear a passage for the line.

Diet

Adults mainly graze algae and Posidonia leaves; young fish eat small crustaceans.

Behaviour

Adults mainly eat plant material, whereas young fish also consume small crustaceans. This difference prevents an occasional worm-bait catch being turned into a rule for all salema.

Indicative biological size

Around 30 cm on average according to DORIS; a descriptive indication.

Fishing context and precautions

  1. Prepare a fine line that remains suitable for the spot, a small float and a single hook. Choose a position that lets you place the bait gently, away from people and dense vegetation.
  2. Attach a small portion of bread crumb, firmly enough on the hook to withstand placement. Leave its outer part soft; a very compact ball does not behave like a morsel sinking naturally.
  3. Place the rig and watch the bait sink, then the float settle. Follow the drift without continuous pulling, keeping the line outside the shoal rather than passing through it.
  4. When the float clearly goes under, set the hook with a measured movement and use the drag to follow the run. This approach rephrases Guillaume Fourrier’s account; bait volume and height are adjusted locally, without a guaranteed result.

A distinctive feature

Its upper incisors have notched edges, while the lower ones are pointed and triangular.

Sources and review

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

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