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Sea fish

European sprat

Sprattus sprattus

Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.

Other names: Sprat

European sprat
Hans Hillewaert (Wikimedia Commons) · source
Habitat
Open-water shoals
Method
Sabiki
Family
Clupeidae

Choose your region

The information changes with the region you choose.

Where is European sprat caught?

Explore the regions or go straight to the map.

Baltic Sea

Season and suitable conditions

Check the season information for the region you chose.

Peak months: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Season information is no guarantee of a catch.

Best spots in October

By month

Average monthly score of the spots in Turkey (0–100).

  1. 57 Jan
  2. 57 Feb
  3. 69 Mar
  4. 67 Apr
  5. 50 May
  6. 44 Jun
  7. 40 Jul
  8. 36 Aug
  9. 41 Sep
  10. 57 Oct
  11. 62 Nov
  12. 55 Dec

The best spot in each Turkish province, by this month’s score.

  1. Perşembe Limanı Kıyısı Perşembe, Ordu 67/100 Good
  2. Bandırma Limanı Dış Mendireği Bandırma, Balıkesir 64/100 Good
  3. Aya Nikola Halk Plajı Adalar, İstanbul 61/100 Good
  4. Eskihisar Feribot İskelesi Kıyısı Gebze, Kocaeli 61/100 Good
  5. Bülbül Deresi Armutlu, Yalova 61/100 Good

A 0–100 score from season, water temperature, habitat and local records; a general trend, not a guarantee.

Habitat

Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.

Rarely caught on a line from the shore.

Depth

10–150 m

mostly 10–50 m

Water temperature

3–23.1 °C

ideal 10–16 °C

Salinity

Also enters brackish water

3.6–39.3 ‰

Shore types

  • Pier / quay
  • Inside harbours

Bottom

Lives in open water

Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.

Confidence: shore type medium, temperature medium

Bait and tackle suggestions

Recorded baits and fishing techniques.

Natural baits

Lures

  • Micro sabiki

Fishing technique

Fishing rules

The regulation holds no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species. The provisions for Türkiye as a whole apply.

Before you go, check local area and method restrictions.

Species profile

European sprat
Scientific name
Sprattus sprattus
Family
Clupeidae
Order
Clupeiformes
Water type
Saltwater
Seas
Sea of Marmara, Black Sea
Other names
Çaça, Sprat

Frequently asked questions

Which seas is European sprat found in?

In our records European sprat appears in these seas: Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, North Sea — Germany, Baltic Sea — Germany, North Sea — Netherlands, North Sea — Belgium.

In which months is European sprat at its peak?

Peak periods by sea: Sea of Marmara all year; Black Sea all year; North Sea — Germany June–September; Baltic Sea — Germany June–September; North Sea — Netherlands September–April; North Sea — Belgium September–April.

Which bait is European sprat caught with?

Baits and lures on record: small fish chunks, European anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, shrimp, micro sabiki, European sprat.

Similar species

Pick your spot, check the conditions, then head out.

Open fishing grounds on the map

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European sprat · Sprattus sprattus

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