Sea fish
Opaleye
Girella nigricans
Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.
- Habitat
- Kayalık · iskele · yosun ormanı
Best times of day
When in the day it bites best, month by month.
- Active by day
- Limited at night
In October
-
Dawn Best 80
Sunrise → 3 h after
-
Midday 80
2 h before midday → 2 h after
-
Dusk 78
2.5 h before sunset → sunset
Not productive at night
Moon phase
Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.
- New moon 15
- First quarter 15
- Full moon 20
- Last quarter 15
Best phase: No clear effect
Windows across 12 months
| Best times of day | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn | 75 | 75 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 80 | 80 | 75 |
| Midday | 85 | 85 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 80 | 80 | 85 |
| Dusk | 75 | 75 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 78 | 78 | 75 |
| 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.
3 sources · confidence medium
Habitat
Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.
Depth
2–30 m
mostly 2–6 m
Water temperature
0–33 °C
ideal 13–20 °C
Salinity
Full-strength seawater
31.7–36.3 ‰
Shore types
- Rocky shore
- Breakwater / jetty
- Pier / quay
- Around marinas
- 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 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 October
Natural baits
Processed bait (all year)
- Peas
- Sweetcorn
By water clarity
Herbivore / detritivore — Eats weed, algae and bottom mud. Rarely takes a lure.
- Clear Visibility: over 8 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Seaweed · Very suitable Usually in this water: Weed, sea lettuce, worm; very fine tackle; chum.
- Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Seaweed · Very suitable Usually in this water: Weed, worm; chum.
- Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Ragworm · Very suitable Usually in this water: Worm with chum; stream or channel mouths.
- Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Mussel · Suitable Usually in this water: Worm, fish guts; chum; mullet feed in murky stream mouths.
- Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
- Natural bait First natural bait: Mussel · Suitable Usually in this water: Worm, fish guts; chum.
12-month bait calendar
- January
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- February
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- March
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- April
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- May
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- June
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- July
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- August
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- September
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- October
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- November
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
- December
- Natural baits: Seaweed, Ghost shrimp, Mussel, Ragworm
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 high, lures low. 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
- Girella nigricans
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Other names
- Opaleye
