Sea fish
Northern kingcroaker
Menticirrhus saxatilis
Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.
Other names: Northern kingfish
- Habitat
- Dalga hattı · kumsal · kumluk dip
Best times of day
When in the day it bites best, month by month.
- Active day and night
- Limited at night
In November
-
Dawn Best 80
1 h before sunrise → 2 h after
-
Midday 60
1 h before midday → 2 h after
-
Dusk 80
1.5 h before sunset → 1 h after
-
Night 40
0.5 h after sunset → 3 h before sunrise
Moon phase
Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.
- New moon 45
- First quarter 40
- Full moon 40
- Last quarter 40
Best phase: New moon
Windows across 12 months
| Best times of day | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn | 75 | 75 | 75 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 75 |
| Midday | 70 | 70 | 70 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 70 |
| Dusk | 78 | 78 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 78 |
| Night | 40 | 40 | 40 | 45 | 45 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
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.
6 sources · confidence medium
Habitat
Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.
Depth
0–50 m
mostly 0–15 m
Water temperature
3.5–30.8 °C
ideal 13.4–26.6 °C
Salinity
Also enters brackish water
2.4–36.7 ‰
Shore types
- Sandy beach
- Delta / alluvial shore
- Cove / inner bay
- Mixed shore
- Shingle shore
- River / stream mouth
- Harbour mouth
Bottom
Lives close to the bottom
- Sand
Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.
Confidence: shore type high, temperature medium
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
Out of season
12-month bait calendar
- January
- Out of season
- February
- Out of season
- March
- Out of season
- April
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- May
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- June
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- July
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- August
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- September
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- October
- Natural baits: Bloodworm, Clam, Squid Lures: Scented soft plastic
- November
- Out of season
- December
- Out of season
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
- Scientific name
- Menticirrhus saxatilis
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Other names
- Northern kingfish
