Wrasse
Fish
A thick-lipped, chunky-bodied rock fish with a single long dorsal fin and often vivid, mottled green-brown-orange colouring — ballan wrasse are the largest and most common UK species, with corkwing and cuckoo wrasse smaller and more colourful.
Facts
- Changes sex during its life in some species — many wrasse start as female and can later become male.
- Lives almost entirely around kelp, rock and reef structure, rarely straying over open sand.
- Slow-growing and long-lived for its size, which is why most anglers now practise catch-and-release.
UK fishing rules
No statutory recreational size or bag limit for anglers fishing for sport, but commercial potting for the live-bait wrasse trade is separately regulated by several IFCAs with closed seasons and maximum sizes — that's aimed at the pot fishery, not rod-and-line anglers, but check local byelaws if in doubt.
Where to catch Wrasse (55 marks)
| Mark | Region | Season | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abersoch | Wales | Apr–Oct | Light lure/LRF tactics fished tight to the rocky headlands on either side of the bay on the flood. |
| Aberystwyth Stone Jetty | Wales | May–Sep | Lug, ragworm or mackerel strip fished around the rocky margins in summer. |
| Anstruther Harbour | Scotland | May–Sep | Float-fished crab or worm over broken ground |
| Arbroath Harbour & Cliffs | Scotland | May–Sep | Float fished with crab or worm around harbour walls and rock gullies. |
| Ardglass (Golf Course Rocks) | N. Ireland | Apr–Oct | Float fished ragworm |
| Bangor Pier (Co. Down) | N. Ireland | May–Sep | Ragworm fished under a float tight to the pier structure and harbour rock. |
| Beadnell Harbour | North East | May–Sep | Float fished crab dropped over the rocks, especially behind the White House at low tide |
| Boscastle Harbour | South West | Apr–Oct | Float or lure fished tight to the harbour walls and rocks at the outer inlet; fish to 4lb-plus have come from here. |
| Bossiney Haven | South West | May–Sep | Float-fished ragworm or crab fished tight against the kelp fringe. |
| Brighton Marina West Arm | South East | May–Sep | Ragworm or squid fished hard on the bottom around the rougher mid-wall bays (9-15); expect tackle losses. |
| Burntisland Beach | Scotland | Summer | Float-fished rag or crab close to the rocks. |
| Campbeltown Harbour | Scotland | May–Oct | Crab or worm baits fished hard on the bottom close to the rock marks. |
| Carrickfergus Harbour | N. Ireland | Spring–Autumn | Fished tight to rock ledges |
| Cemaes Bay | Wales | May–Sep | Worm or crab fished hard on the bottom among the rock ledges — expect frequent snags. |
| Charlestown Harbour | South West | Apr–Oct | Float-fished worm or crab bait worked tight to the harbour wall and nearby rocks. |
| Crackington Haven | South West | May–Sep | Float-fished prawn or crab tight into the kelp gullies on the rock ledges either side of the beach. |
| Donaghadee Harbour | N. Ireland | Spring–Autumn | Float fished bait |
| Dover Admiralty Pier | South East | All year | Float-fished ragworm or soft plastics worked down the pier legs |
| Dunbar Harbour & East Beach | Scotland | Summer | Crab or worm fished close to the kelp beds. |
| Filey Brigg | North East | May–Oct | Float-fished or lightly leadered crab/rag fished tight to the kelp and rock ledges. |
| Fishguard | Wales | May–Oct | float-fished crab or sandeel worked over the rough ground at Goodwick Breakwater |
| Folkestone Mole & Copt Point | South East | All year | Float-fished ragworm or small soft plastics tight to the harbour wall and rocks |
| Fowey Harbour | South West | Apr–Oct | Float fished crab or ragworm over the rough ground by the harbour wall |
| Hartland Quay | South West | May–Sep | Float-fished ragworm or crab hard against the rock face. |
| Holyhead Breakwater | Wales | Apr–Oct | Float-fished crab or ragworm tight to the rocky base of the wall. |
| Ilfracombe Pier | South West | Apr–Oct | LRF gear with worm or soft plastics fished tight to the pier structure. |
| Kilkeel Harbour | N. Ireland | May–Sep | Float-fished crab or worm over broken ground |
| Larne Lough Shore | N. Ireland | Spring–Autumn | Lures/float fished bait over rougher ground and rock marks |
| Loch Linnhe Picnic Site, Lochaber | Scotland | Apr–Oct | Lures or float-fished baits worked along the platform edge. |
| Looe Harbour & Banjo Pier | South West | Apr–Oct | Float-fished worm or soft plastics worked around harbour wall structure and nearby rock marks. |
| Lyme Regis (The Cobb) | South West | Apr–Oct | Float fished over the boulders and kelp on light gear, crab or ragworm |
| Marsden Bay | North East | May–Aug | Float fished crab or worm tight to the kelp |
| Mount Batten Breakwater | South West | Apr–Oct | LRF jigs (1-5g) or soft plastics worked tight to the breakwater rock. |
| Mumbles Pier | Wales | Apr–Oct (historic) | Mixed bag on standard bottom or float rigs around the pier structure. |
| Nell's Point (Barry Island) | Wales | May–Sep | Float-fished ragworm hard against the kelp-covered rocks on the rising tide |
| New Quay | Wales | May–Sep | float-fished sandeel or crab worked over the kelpy headland ledges |
| Newquay (Towan Beach) | South West | Apr–Oct | Lure or float-fished worm around the rockier margins toward Lusty Glaze. |
| North Berwick Harbour | Scotland | Summer | Peeler crab fished close to the rocks. |
| Portpatrick | Scotland | May–Sep | Float fished with live ragworm or crab, or rotten-bottom rigs over rough ground close to the harbour walls. |
| Portreath | South West | Apr–Oct | Float-fished worm or lure worked around the harbour walls. |
| Portrush Harbour | N. Ireland | May–Sep | Float-fished ragworm or crab tight to the harbour wall and adjacent rocky pools. |
| Portstewart Harbour | N. Ireland | Spring–Autumn | Bottom fished worm/crab |
| Praa Sands | South West | May–Sep | Float-fished crab or lures at the rocky ends as water warms. |
| Ramsgate Royal Harbour (East Pier & Harbour Arm) | South East | Apr-Oct | Light float or LRF tackle inside the harbour |
| Rothesay Pier, Isle of Bute | Scotland | May–Sep | Crab bait fished hard on the bottom off the rocks at Dunagoil. |
| Rye Harbour | South East | Apr-Oct | Light tackle around any rocky groyne stubs |
| Salcombe (Bolt Head) | South West | Apr–Oct | Float-fished crab/worm or bottom rigs over the rougher ground. |
| Swanage Pier | South West | Apr–Oct | Float or LRF gear worked around the pier legs and pilings |
| Tarbert (East Pier), Loch Fyne | Scotland | May–Sep | Crab bait fished hard against the rock marks south of town. |
| Tenby Harbour | Wales | Apr–Oct | Float-fished crab or worm bait dropped tight against the harbour wall structure and kelp fringe. |
| Thurso / Scrabster | Scotland | May–Sep | Float fished with crab or worm over the rough, rocky ground. |
| Tobermory Harbour, Isle of Mull | Scotland | May–Sep | Crab bait fished on the bottom close to rock ground either side of the harbour. |
| Trevose Head | South West | Apr–Oct | Float-fished crab or soft plastics tight to the kelp-fringed gullies. |
| Troon Harbour & Ballast Bank | Scotland | May–Sep | Float-fished ragworm or crab over rocky ground |
| Welcombe Mouth | South West | May–Sep | Float-fished crab or ragworm tight against the kelp-lined ledges either side of the stream mouth. |