Discover fish species commonly targeted while spearfishing in the UK, with advice on identification, habitats, hunting techniques, minimum sizes and regulations.
Planning a spearfishing or coastal foraging trip in the UK? Make sure you know the local rules before heading out. Our 2026 guide covers IFCA regulations, minimum fish and shellfish sizes, catch limits, protected species and regional restrictions, with useful diagrams and links to official guidance across England.
Bass (European Sea Bass): Grey Mullet: Pollack: Bream (Black Bream): Gilthead Bream: Flatfish (e.g., Flounder, Plaice, Sole): Grey triggerfish: Local hotspots for spearfishing these species in the UK Cleaning and cooking tips for spearfishing catches Conclusion By exploring the unique behaviors and habitats of each species, alongside local hotspots and sustainable spearfishing practices, you can …
The pollock is a more common member of the Cod family and is a beautiful fish, brownish copper above, with gold and silver sides. Easily recognized by their protruding lower jaw and moody appearance, pollock offer a strong fight and a definite challenge to spearfishermen when they reach larger sizes. Pollock can exceed 20lbs but …
The Red Mullet is one of the less commonly caught fish. They tend to live near the seabed in small shoals and are easily disturbed. Hunting Red Mullet is a fairly opportunistic affair, there are only a few places where they can be routinely caught. Red Mullet are small fish, and do not grow to any great …
I’ll make no apologies for what I am about to say. The British lobster is superior to its cousins abroad. We may not have Wahoo or Snappers but our local blue lobster hammers the Maine Lobster and the Cray into the scampi league. North Atlantic Lobsters living in the cold murky water around the UK …
We have several species of flatfish in the UK and most behave in a similar way so we will deal with them in one section. The flatfish of interest to the UK spearfishermen are: Flounder Turbot Brill Plaice Sole Skates and Rays Flounder flatfish When to catch flounder: All year round. Where to catch flounder: …
The conger is often seen as a bit of a bogeyman underwater, leaving divers fearful of holes under ledges or in wrecks where a conger may lurk. In reality, conger are not aggressive fish, so you have little to fear if you’re just searching for bass or lobsters in holes. They will back away from …
The mullet is a great sporting fish and for most of us represents the first ‘silver’ fish we capture. Plentiful and predictable, mullet grow to a good size and offer a lot of fun spearfishing, being much more numerous (and somewhat less paranoid) than the more elusive bass. Grey mullet come in three main varieties. …
The Gilthead. NOT guilthead! Named for the gold stripe on the forehead hence ‘gilt’. An infrequent visitor to our waters with an obsessive spearfishing following. Sometimes called the ‘Golden One’ this is perhaps out most prized target and many spearos strive to encounter one of these elusive fish. The current British Record for Gilthead is 3.34 …
Cod are making a huge comeback. They are more and more common off Portland. Time was when one diver in the club would get one every few years. Nowadays we seem to end up with one on the boat on most trips. In 2011 a good number of double figure cod were landed and it …