Gurnard (Tub Gurnard)
Fish
An unusual, armour-headed fish with a bony, plated head, large fan-like pectoral fins, and a reddish-brown body — tub gurnard, the most common UK shore species, is the largest and most colourful.
Facts
- Uses the lower rays of its pectoral fins like little legs to 'walk' across the seabed searching for food.
- Can produce an audible croaking or grunting sound using muscles around its swim bladder — genuinely unusual for a fish.
- The bony, armoured head makes it a distinctive and easy fish to identify at a glance.
UK fishing rules
No statutory UK-wide recreational size limit currently applies to gurnard.
Where to catch Gurnard (Tub Gurnard) (5 marks)
| Mark | Region | Season | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlestown Harbour | South West | Jun–Sep | Bottom-fished bait (worm/fish strip) from the harbour wall. |
| Exmouth Beach & Exe Estuary Mouth | South West | Jun–Oct | Bigger fish baits fished after dark around Exmouth Docks/harbour structures for occasional conger and gurnard. |
| Maldon Promenade Park | East | Summer | Bait fished occasional by-catch |
| Sheerness Seafront (Barton's Point to Garrison Point) | South East | Jun-Sep | Fish strip on the drop |
| Tynemouth Longsands | North East | Jun–Oct | Fish strip cast from the pier |