SpeciesKnotsGuides

Saltwater fish

From the beach to the open ocean, the sea sets its own rules: the tide, the salt, and a scale on which fish move in hundreds of kilometres rather than in bends of a river.

234 species documented

The first difference is the tide. Twice a day the level and the current change, uncovering whole areas and putting food back into motion. It decides access to marks, the hour you fish and often the result: the same place can be excellent for one hour and empty the next.

The second is salt, which attacks anything left to it. A reel rinsed after every trip lasts years; the same reel left as it is seizes within a season. It is a maintenance constraint freshwater fishing simply does not have.

The third is scale. Many marine species do not live on a spot but on a route, following temperature and bait shoals through the year. Their presence is seasonal rather than geographic — knowing when is often worth more than knowing where.

Coastal127

Big pelagics40

Sharks & rays20

Flatfish15

Bottom fish12

Salmonids10

Migratory7

Predators2

Sturgeons1

Species list

NameScientific nameMax sizeBest months
African pompanoAlectis ciliaris150 cmYear-round
AlbacoreThunnus alalunga140 cmMar–Sep
Almaco jackSeriola rivoliana160 cmMar–Aug
Amago salmonOncorhynchus masou ishikawae44.2 cmMar–Nov
American plaiceHippoglossoides platessoides83 cmMay–Oct
Atlantic bluefin tunaThunnus thynnus458 cmMay–Nov
Atlantic bonitoSarda sarda91.4 cmMar–Nov
Atlantic chub mackerelScomber colias55 cmMar–Nov
Atlantic codGadus morhua200 cmOct–Apr
Atlantic goliath grouperEpinephelus itajara250 cmJun–Nov
Atlantic halibutHippoglossus hippoglossus470 cmApr–Oct
Atlantic horse mackerelTrachurus trachurus70 cmJun–Nov
Atlantic mackerelScomber scombrus60 cmApr–Sep
Atlantic pomfretBrama brama100 cmSep–Feb
Atlantic sailfishIstiophorus albicans315 cmDec–Aug
Atlantic salmonSalmo salar150 cmMar–Nov
Atlantic spadefishChaetodipterus faber90 cmMay–Sep
Atlantic Spanish mackerelScomberomorus maculatus91 cmMar–Nov
Atlantic tripletailLobotes surinamensis110 cmMay–Sep
Atlantic white marlinKajikia albida300 cmMar–Nov
Atlantic wolffishAnarhichas lupus150 cmOct–May
Australian bonitoSarda australis180 cmSep–Mar
Australian salmonArripis trutta89 cmMar–Aug
Axillary seabreamPagellus acarne36 cmMar–Nov
BarramundiLates calcarifer200 cmMar
Bigeye scadSelar crumenophthalmus70 cmYear-round
Bigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatus120 cmMar–Aug
Bigeye tunaThunnus obesus250 cmSep–Feb
Black drumPogonias cromis170 cmSep–May
Black grouperMycteroperca bonaci150 cmMar–Nov
Black jackCaranx lugubris100 cmMar–Nov
Black marlinIstiompax indica465 cmSep–Nov
Black rockfishSebastes melanops63 cmMay–Oct
Black sea bassCentropristis striata66 cmMay–Oct
Black Sea troutSalmo labrax80 cmMar–Nov
Black seabreamSpondyliosoma cantharus60 cmMar–Nov
Black snapperApsilus dentatus65 cmMar–Nov
Blackfin seabassLateolabrax latus94 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
Blackfin tunaThunnus atlanticus108 cmMar–Sep
Blackspot seabreamPagellus bogaraveo70 cmYear-round
Blacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatus286 cmMar–Aug
Blue marlinMakaira nigricans500 cmMar–Nov
Blue sharkPrionace glauca400 cmJun–Nov
Bluefin trevallyCaranx melampygus117 cmYear-round
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix130 cmMar–Nov
BonefishAlbula vulpes104 cmMar–Nov
Boxlip mulletOedalechilus labeo25 cmMar–Sep
BrillScophthalmus rhombus75 cmApr–Oct
Bull sharkCarcharhinus leucas360 cmMar–Nov
Bullet tunaAuxis rochei50 cmMar–Nov
California HalibutParalichthys californicus152 cmMar–Oct
Cero mackerelScomberomorus regalis183 cmDec–Feb
Chinese seabassLateolabrax spilonotus102 cmMar–Nov
Chinook salmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha150 cmJun–Feb
Chub mackerelScomber japonicus64 cmMar–Nov
Chum salmonOncorhynchus keta100 cmJun–Feb
CobiaRachycentron canadum200 cmMar–Nov
Coho salmonOncorhynchus kisutch108 cmJun–Feb
ComberSerranus cabrilla40 cmApr–Oct
Common dabLimanda limanda40 cmMar–Nov
Common dentexDentex dentex100 cmMar–Nov
Common dolphinfishCoryphaena hippurus210 cmMar–Nov
Common pandoraPagellus erythrinus60 cmMar–Nov
Common snookCentropomus undecimalis140 cmMay–Sep
Common soleSolea solea70 cmMar–Nov
Common two-banded seabreamDiplodus vulgaris45 cmMar–Nov
Coney grouperCephalopholis fulva44 cmMar–Nov
Cottonmouth jackUraspis secunda50 cmYear-round
Crevalle jackCaranx hippos124 cmMar–Aug
Crimson jobfishPristipomoides filamentosus100 cmYear-round
Cubera snapperLutjanus cyanopterus160 cmMar–Nov
Deepwater longtail red snapperEtelis coruscans120 cmYear-round
Dog snapperLutjanus jocu128 cmMar–Nov
Dogtooth tunaGymnosarda unicolor248 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
Doublespotted queenfishScomberoides lysan110 cmYear-round
Dusky grouperEpinephelus marginatus150 cmMar–Nov
Dusky sharkCarcharhinus obscurus420 cmMar–Nov
Eastern Pacific bonitoSarda chiliensis102 cmMar–Nov
Emperor red snapperLutjanus sebae116 cmYear-round
European barracudaSphyraena sphyraena165 cmMar–Nov
European congerConger conger300 cmJun–Nov
European eelAnguilla anguilla130 cmMar–Nov
European flounderPlatichthys flesus60 cmMar–Nov
European hakeMerluccius merluccius140 cmMar–Nov
European plaicePleuronectes platessa100 cmMar–Oct
European seabassDicentrarchus labrax103 cmJun–Oct
European SmeltOsmerus eperlanus30 cmSep–Apr
European sturgeonAcipenser sturio300 cmMar–Nov
Flathead grey mulletMugil cephalus100 cmMar–Nov
Florida pompanoTrachinotus carolinus64 cmMar–Nov
Frigate tunaAuxis thazard65 cmYear-round
Gag grouperMycteroperca microlepis145 cmMar–Nov
GarfishBelone belone94 cmMar–Oct
Giant trevallyCaranx ignobilis170 cmJun–Aug
Gilthead seabreamSparus aurata70 cmMar–Nov
Goldblotch grouperEpinephelus costae140 cmMar–Nov
Golden grey mulletChelon auratus61 cmMar–Nov
Golden trevallyGnathanodon speciosus120 cmYear-round
GraysbyCephalopholis cruentata42.6 cmMar–Nov
Great barracudaSphyraena barracuda200 cmYear-round
Great hammerheadSphyrna mokarran610 cmMar–Aug
Great white sharkCarcharodon carcharias640 cmJun–Nov
Greater amberjackSeriola dumerili190 cmMar–Nov
Green humphead parrotfishBolbometopon muricatum130 cmYear-round
Grey snapperLutjanus griseus89 cmMar–Nov
HaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinus112 cmSep–Apr
Humpback red snapperLutjanus gibbus56.8 cmYear-round
Indo-Pacific sailfishIstiophorus platypterus348 cmYear-round
Indo-Pacific tarponMegalops cyprinoides150 cmYear-round
Island trevallyCarangoides orthogrammus75 cmYear-round
Japanese amberjackSeriola quinqueradiata150 cmSep–May
Japanese seabassLateolabrax japonicus102 cmYear-round
John DoryZeus faber90 cmMar–Nov
KawakawaEuthynnus affinis100 cmMar–Nov
Kelp bassParalabrax clathratus72 cmMay–Sep
King mackerelScomberomorus cavalla184 cmYear-round
King threadfinPolydactylus macrochir170 cmMay–Oct
LadyfishElops saurus100 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
Lane snapperLutjanus synagris60 cmMar–Aug
Leaping mulletChelon saliens40 cmApr–Oct
LeatherjacketOligoplites saurus35 cmMar–Aug
Lemon soleMicrostomus kitt65 cmApr–Oct
Lesser spotted dogfishScyliorhinus canicula100 cmMar–Nov
LingMolva molva200 cmYear-round
Little tunnyEuthynnus alletteratus122 cmYear-round
Longbill spearfishTetrapturus pfluegeri254 cmMar–Nov
Longfin makoIsurus paucus427 cmMar–Aug
Longrakered trevallyUlua mentalis100 cmYear-round
Longtail tunaThunnus tonggol145 cmMar–Nov
LookdownSelene vomer48.3 cmMar–Nov
Mackerel scadDecapterus macarellus46 cmYear-round
Mangrove red snapperLutjanus argentimaculatus150 cmYear-round
Masu salmonOncorhynchus masou79 cmMar–Nov
MeagreArgyrosomus regius230 cmYear-round
Mediterranean spearfishTetrapturus belone240 cmJun–Nov
MegrimLepidorhombus whiffiagonis60 cmApr–Nov
MilkfishChanos chanos180 cmYear-round
Mottled grouperMycteroperca rubra144 cmApr–Oct
Mutton snapperLutjanus analis94 cmMar–Nov
Narrow-barred Spanish mackerelScomberomorus commerson240 cmYear-round
Nassau grouperEpinephelus striatus122 cmDec–Feb
Northern red snapperLutjanus campechanus100 cmMar–Aug
NursehoundScyliorhinus stellaris170 cmMar–Nov
OilfishRuvettus pretiosus300 cmJun–Nov
OpahLampris guttatus101 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
Orangemouth corvinaCynoscion xanthulus129 cmMar–Nov
Pacific barracudaSphyraena argentea145 cmMar–Nov
Pacific bluefin tunaThunnus orientalis300 cmApr–Sep
Pacific codGadus macrocephalus119 cmSep–Feb
Pacific halibutHippoglossus stenolepis258 cmMay–Oct
Pacific sierraScomberomorus sierra99 cmOct–Mar
Painted comberSerranus scriba36 cmApr–Oct
PermitTrachinotus falcatus122 cmMar–Nov
Pickhandle barracudaSphyraena jello150 cmYear-round
Piked dogfishSqualus acanthias160 cmSep–May
PilotfishNaucrates ductor70 cmJun–Nov
Pink dentexDentex gibbosus106 cmMar–Nov
Pink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuscha76 cmJun–Nov
PollackPollachius pollachius130 cmSep–Apr
PompanoTrachinotus ovatus70 cmMar–Nov
Pompano dolphinfishCoryphaena equiselis146 cmMar–Aug
Poor codTrisopterus minutus40 cmMar–Nov
PorbeagleLamna nasus350 cmMar–Nov
PoutingTrisopterus luscus46 cmMar–Nov
Rainbow parrotfishScarus guacamaia120 cmYear-round
Rainbow runnerElagatis bipinnulata180 cmMar–Aug
Rainbow smeltOsmerus mordax30 cmDec–May
Red drumSciaenops ocellatus155 cmYear-round
Red grouperEpinephelus morio125 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
Red hindEpinephelus guttatus76 cmMar–Nov
Red porgyPagrus pagrus91 cmYear-round
RoosterfishNematistius pectoralis163 cmMay–Nov
Roundscale spearfishTetrapturus georgii184 cmMar–Nov
Rusty jobfishAphareus rutilans110 cmYear-round
Saddled seabreamOblada melanura37 cmMar–Nov
SaithePollachius virens130 cmSep–May
SalemaSarpa salpa51 cmMar–Nov
Sand steenbrasLithognathus mormyrus55 cmMar–Nov
Sandbar sharkCarcharhinus plumbeus300 cmMar–Nov
Sawtooth barracudaSphyraena putnamae90 cmYear-round
Scalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewini430 cmJun–Nov
Sea troutSalmo trutta trutta100 cmMar–Nov
Senegalese soleSolea senegalensis60 cmMar–Oct
Sharpsnout seabreamDiplodus puntazzo60 cmMar–Nov
SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus91 cmDec–May
Shortbill spearfishTetrapturus angustirostris230 cmMar–Aug
Shortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchus445 cmMar–Nov
Silky sharkCarcharhinus falciformis350 cmJun–Nov
Skipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamis110 cmMar–Nov
Slender tunaAllothunnus fallai105 cmSep–May
Smooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaena500 cmMar–Nov
Smooth-houndMustelus mustelus200 cmMar–Nov
Snubnose pompanoTrachinotus blochii110 cmMar–Aug
So-iuy mulletPlaniliza haematocheilus80 cmApr–Oct
Sockeye salmonOncorhynchus nerka84 cmJun–Aug, Dec–Feb
Southern bluefin tunaThunnus maccoyii245 cmDec–May
Southern flounderParalichthys lethostigma83 cmMar–Oct
Spotted Sand BassParalabrax maculatofasciatus67 cmMar–Oct
Spotted seabassDicentrarchus punctatus70 cmMar–Nov
Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus100 cmYear-round
Starry smooth-houndMustelus asterias154 cmMar–Nov
Stoplight parrotfishSparisoma viride64 cmYear-round
Striped bassMorone saxatilis200 cmMar–Nov
Striped bonitoSarda orientalis102 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
Striped marlinKajikia audax420 cmMar–Nov
Summer flounderParalichthys dentatus94 cmApr–Nov
SwordfishXiphias gladius455 cmMar–Nov
Talang queenfishScomberoides commersonnianus120 cmYear-round
TarponMegalops atlanticus250 cmMar–Nov
TautogTautoga onitis91 cmApr–Jun, Oct–Dec
Thicklip grey mulletChelon labrosus75 cmYear-round
Thinlip grey mulletChelon ramada70 cmMar–Nov
Tiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvier750 cmJun–Nov
Tope sharkGaleorhinus galeus193 cmMar–Nov
Torpedo scadMegalaspis cordyla80 cmYear-round
TurbotScophthalmus maximus100 cmApr–Oct
Two-spot red snapperLutjanus bohar90 cmYear-round
WahooAcanthocybium solandri250 cmMar–Aug
Waigieu seaperchPsammoperca waigiensis47 cmMar
WeakfishCynoscion regalis98 cmYear-round
White grouperEpinephelus aeneus120 cmMar–May, Sep–Nov
White mulletMugil curema91 cmYear-round
White perchMorone americana58 cmMar–Nov
White seabassAtractoscion nobilis166 cmMar–Nov
White seabreamDiplodus sargus45 cmMar–Nov
White trevallyPseudocaranx dentex122 cmYear-round
WhitingMerlangius merlangus91.5 cmOct–Apr
WreckfishPolyprion americanus210 cmMar–Nov
Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares239 cmJun–Aug
Yellowspotted trevallyCarangoides fulvoguttatus120 cmYear-round
Yellowtail amberjackSeriola lalandi250 cmMar–Aug
Yellowtail scadAtule mate30 cmYear-round
Yellowtail snapperOcyurus chrysurus86 cmMar–Nov
Zebra seabreamDiplodus cervinus55 cmMar–Nov