Dab
Flatfish
A small, sandy-coloured flatfish with a rough, sandpaper-textured upper side and a strongly curved lateral line arching over the pectoral fin — the easiest identification feature.
Facts
- One of the most abundant flatfish on clean sandy UK beaches, and a classic light-tackle summer catch.
- The rough 'sandpaper' skin texture is a quick, reliable way to tell it apart from similar-looking flatfish.
- Feeds on small worms and crustaceans just under the sand, so light leger rigs with small hooks work best.
UK fishing rules
No statutory UK-wide recreational size limit currently applies to dab.
Where to catch Dab (34 marks)
| Mark | Region | Season | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberaeron | Wales | Sep–Mar | Lugworm or ragworm fished hard on the bottom over sand/silt inside the harbour mouth. |
| Aldeburgh Beach | East | Summer | Small-hook bait rigs |
| Bamburgh Beach | North East | Jun–Sep | Light leger tackle, small hooks |
| Barmouth Bridge & Harbour | Wales | Oct–Jan | Bottom-fished lugworm or fish strip from the estuary shore and open beach through autumn/winter. |
| Borth | Wales | May–Sep | Sandeel or worm bait fished over the sandy gullies at range. |
| Broadstairs Viking Bay | South East | Oct-Mar | Small hooks, worm bait, low water |
| Caister-on-Sea Beach | East | Winter, calmer sea | Small-hook bait rigs |
| Carnoustie Beach | Scotland | Spring–Autumn | Worm baits fished hard on the bottom. |
| Colwyn Bay | Wales | Apr–Sep | small hook rigs baited with worm fished hard on the deck |
| Crooklets Beach | South West | Oct–Mar | Small strips of worm on a light flapper rig, fished close in around low water on the incoming tide. |
| Findhorn Beach | Scotland | Spring–Autumn | Light beach gear with worm bait over clean sand |
| Hastings Stade | South East | All year | Fresh lug/ragworm on a two-hook flapper; sticky black lug best for dabs |
| Hunstanton Cliffs & Beach | East | Summer–autumn | Small hooks and worm over clean sand |
| Llandudno Pier | Wales | Sep–Mar (historic) | Simple bottom rigs with worm or fish bait over sand near the pier legs. |
| Newcastle Harbour, Co. Down | N. Ireland | All year | Small hooks with worm bait |
| Portreath | South West | All year, best autumn/winter | Small hooks with worm bait fished on the bottom in the harbour or beach at low tide. |
| Prestatyn Beach | Wales | Apr–Sep | light gear with worm baits close in |
| Ramsgate Royal Harbour (East Pier & Harbour Arm) | South East | Mar-Oct | Two-hook flapper rigs with rag or lug |
| Reculver | South East | All year | Small hooks baited with rag/lug close to the boulders |
| Roker Pier | North East | Apr–Oct | Light leger with worm or crab close to the pier base. |
| Rye Harbour | South East | Year-round | Small hook rigs with worm bait on the sand |
| Saundersfoot | Wales | Sep–Mar | worm bait fished on the sand inside the harbour |
| Saunton Sands | South West | Nov–Feb | Worm/fish-strip cocktails, best on calmer winter days or after onshore blows. |
| Sheerness Seafront (Barton's Point to Garrison Point) | South East | Year-round | Small hooks with worm bait |
| Sheringham West Beach | East | Late evening, year-round | Worm bait fished after dark |
| South Shields Pier | North East | Apr–Oct | Light leger with worm or peeler crab on the snaggy inshore ground. |
| Splash Point, Rhyl | Wales | Year-round, best Sep–Dec | Two- or three-hook flapper rigs baited with lugworm or ragworm over the flat sand. |
| Stonehaven Harbour | Scotland | All year, best autumn–winter | Small hooks and worm/mussel fished on the bottom inside the harbour or off the beach at low tide. |
| Thurso / Scrabster | Scotland | Sep–Mar | Bottom-fished bait close in around the harbour. |
| Wanson Mouth | South West | Apr–Sep | Small hooks baited with ragworm or fish strip on a two-hook flapper cast into the sandy gutters. |
| Warrenpoint Front Shore | N. Ireland | Year-round | Bottom fished bait off the beach |
| Whitesands Bay | Wales | Jun–Oct | light gear with worm bait, plentiful and often large here |
| Whitstable Street | South East | All year | Small hooks baited with lug on the sandier stretches towards Seasalter |
| Woolacombe Beach | South West | Nov–Feb | Small hooks and short snoods baited with worm, fished close in on clean sand. |