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Sea fish

Ballan wrasse

Labrus bergylta

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Ballan wrasse
Jonmp at English Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons) · source

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Where is Ballan wrasse caught?

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South West coast fishing spots

143
South West coast
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A listed spot is not a guarantee of a catch.

South West coast

Season and suitable conditions

Recorded all year round in this region; no distinct fishing season shows.

Season information is no guarantee of a catch.

Best spots in November

By month

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

  1. — Jan
  2. — Feb
  3. — Mar
  4. — Apr
  5. 45 May
  6. 40 Jun
  7. 37 Jul
  8. 36 Aug
  9. 38 Sep
  10. 41 Oct
  11. 0 Nov
  12. — Dec

Not recommended this month

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

Best times of day

When in the day it bites best, month by month.

  • Active by day
  • Poor at night

In November

  1. Dawn 70

    Sunrise → 3 h after

  2. Midday Best 80

    2 h before midday → 2.5 h after

  3. Dusk 70

    2.5 h before sunset → sunset

Not productive at night

Moon phase

Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.

  1. New moon 0
  2. First quarter 0
  3. Full moon 0
  4. Last quarter 0

Best phase: No clear effect

Windows across 12 months

Best times of day J F M A M J J A S O N D
Dawn 45 45 45 70 70 75 75 75 75 70 70 45
Midday 80 80 80 80 80 75 75 75 75 80 80 80
Dusk 55 55 55 70 70 75 75 75 75 70 70 55
Night

Windows follow sunrise and sunset; clock times change with place and date. Scores are relative within the month: 100 is the best window of the day.

2 sources · confidence medium

Habitat

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

Depth

1–50 m

mostly 2–30 m

Water temperature

5–25 °C

ideal 14–16 °C

Salinity

Full-strength seawater

15–37.5 ‰

Shore types

  • Rocky shore
  • Breakwater / jetty
  • Headland
  • Cliff / steep shore
  • Reclaimed shore
  • Shoal / reef

Bottom

Lives close to the bottom

  • Rock
  • Seaweed

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

Confidence: shore type high, temperature high

Bait and tackle suggestions

Recorded baits and fishing techniques.

Bait by month

Baits documented for shore fishing, month by month and by water clarity.

In November

Natural baits

Lures

By water clarity

Rock / bottom omnivore — Picks up crustaceans, worms and weed. Wary; relies on smell and a natural look.

Clear Visibility: over 8 m
Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Limpet · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live shrimp, tube worm, mud shrimp, mussel; thin line, small hidden hook; little chum. First lure: Jighead + soft worm · Very suitable Usually in this water: LRF micro soft plastic, imitation shrimp; very small, slow. Colour: Clear, Blue-green back
Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Limpet · Very suitable Usually in this water: Shrimp, worm, mussel; normal pieces. First lure: Jighead + soft worm · Very suitable Usually in this water: LRF/micro soft plastic, imitation shrimp. Colour: Clear, Pink, Blue-green back
Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Ragworm · Very suitable Usually in this water: Mussel, crab, sardine pieces with chum (crushed mussel or bread). First lure: Jighead + soft swimbait · Very suitable Usually in this water: Scented soft plastic (Isome/Gulp type); slow, on the bottom. Colour: Fluorescent, Pink
Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Crab · Very suitable Usually in this water: Crab, mussel, razor clam; bottom rig; strong scent. First lure: Jighead + soft swimbait · Suitable Usually in this water: Weak; scented soft plastic only. Colour: Pink, Fluorescent
Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Crab · Suitable Usually in this water: Mussel, crab, cut bait; big pieces. First lure: Jighead + soft swimbait · Weak Colour: Pink, Fluorescent
12-month bait calendar
January
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
February
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
March
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
April
Natural baits: Razor clam, Peeler crab, Crab, Ragworm Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
May
Natural baits: Razor clam, Peeler crab, Crab, Ragworm Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
June
Natural baits: Razor clam, Peeler crab, Crab, Ragworm Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
July
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
August
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
September
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
October
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
November
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait
December
Natural baits: Razor clam, Crab, Ragworm, Limpet Lures: Soft shrimp, Jighead + soft worm, Jighead + soft swimbait

This is the usual pattern; the water and weather on the day can change it. Colour is fine-tuning: bait type, size and action come first. Confidence: natural medium, lures medium. Colour and presentation guide

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

Ballan wrasse
Scientific name
Labrus bergylta
Water type
Saltwater
Other names
Ballan wrasse

Frequently asked questions

Which seas is Ballan wrasse found in?

In our records Ballan wrasse appears in these seas: North East coast — England, East coast — England, South East coast — England, South coast — England, South West coast — England, North West coast — England, South coast — Norway, West coast — Norway, Møre and Trøndelag coast — Norway, Nordland coast — Norway, Troms coast — Norway, West coast — Sweden, South coast — Sweden, North Sea — Denmark, Kattegat and Skagerrak — Denmark, Baltic Sea — Denmark.

In which months is Ballan wrasse at its peak?

Peak periods by sea: North East coast — England all year; East coast — England all year; South East coast — England all year; South coast — England all year; South West coast — England all year; North West coast — England all year; South coast — Norway May–September; West coast — Norway May–September; Møre and Trøndelag coast — Norway May–October; Nordland coast — Norway May–October; Troms coast — Norway May–October; South coast — Sweden June–September; West coast — Sweden May–September; North Sea — Denmark May–August; Kattegat and Skagerrak — Denmark May–September; Baltic Sea — Denmark June–September.

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