Sea fish
Pontic shad
Alosa immaculata
Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.
Other names: Karadeniz tirsi balığı
- Habitat
- Estuary · shore
- Method
- Spinning · Sabiki
- Family
- Alosidae
Choose your region
The information changes with the region you choose.
Where is Pontic shad caught?
Explore the regions or go straight to the map.
Sea of Marmara fishing spots
Aegean Sea fishing spots
Black Sea fishing spots
1No site-level records in this region; the information is at region level.
No site-level records in this region; the information is at region level.
No fishing ground or region matches your search.
A listed spot is not a guarantee of a catch.
Sea of Marmara
Season and suitable conditions
Check the season information for the region you chose.
Peak months: Feb, Mar, Apr, May
Aegean Sea
Season and suitable conditions
Check the season information for the region you chose.
Peak months: Feb, Mar, Apr, May
Black Sea
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 October
By month
Average monthly score of the spots in Turkey (0–100).
- 0 Jan
- 0 Feb
- 15 Mar
- 15 Apr
- 37 May
- 0 Jun
- 0 Jul
- 0 Aug
- 0 Sep
- 21 Oct
- 37 Nov
- 0 Dec
The best spot in each Turkish province, by this month’s score.
- Sakarya Nehri Karasu, Sakarya 28/100 Weak
- Kızılırmak Denize Çıkış Noktası Bafra, Samsun 28/100 Weak
- Riva Deresi Beykoz, İstanbul 26/100 Weak
- Abana Limanı Kıyısı Abana, Kastamonu 26/100 Weak
- Beğendik Sahili Demirköy, Kırklareli 26/100 Weak
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
3–90 m
mostly 3–30 m
Water temperature
13.9–17.6 °C
ideal 14.6–16.2 °C
Salinity
Migrates between fresh and salt water
0–22.5 ‰
Shore types
- Delta / alluvial shore
- River / stream mouth
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
- Small spoon
- Sabiki
In this region · Sea of Marmara
- Natural bait:
- fish flesh; regional support: European anchovy / Atlantic horse mackerel / shrimp
- Lure:
- small spoon, sabiki
- Technique:
- spin, sabiki
In this region · Aegean Sea
- Natural bait:
- fish flesh; regional support: European sardine / mamun / sülünez
- Lure:
- small spoon, sabiki
- Technique:
- spin, sabiki
In this region · Black Sea
- Natural bait:
- fish flesh; regional support: European anchovy / European sprat
- Lure:
- small spoon, sabiki
- Technique:
- Bottom Fishing
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
- Alosa immaculata
- Family
- Alosidae
- Order
- Clupeiformes
- Water type
- Saltwater
- Seas
- Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, Black Sea
- Other names
- Tirsi, Karadeniz tirsi balığı
Frequently asked questions
Which seas is Pontic shad found in?
In our records Pontic shad appears in these seas: Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea.
In which months is Pontic shad at its peak?
Peak periods by sea: Sea of Marmara February–May; Aegean Sea February–May; Black Sea all year.
Which bait is Pontic shad caught with?
Baits and lures on record: fish flesh, European anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, shrimp, small spoon, sabiki, European sardine, mamun, sülünez, European sprat.
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