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Sea fish

Greater weever

Trachinus draco

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

Other names: Çarpan balığı

Open fishing grounds on the map Bait and tackle
Greater weever
no rights reserved · source
Habitat
Sandy bottom
Method
Bottom fishing · LRF
Family
Trachinidae

Choose your region

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Where is Greater weever caught?

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South West coast fishing spots

131
South West coast
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A listed spot is not a guarantee of a catch.

South West coast

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. 32 Jan
  2. 32 Feb
  3. 32 Mar
  4. 61 Apr
  5. 61 May
  6. 52 Jun
  7. 47 Jul
  8. 39 Aug
  9. 49 Sep
  10. 63 Oct
  11. 59 Nov
  12. 61 Dec

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

  1. Kumla Halk Plajı Gemlik, Bursa 84/100 Very good
  2. Aya Nikola Halk Plajı Adalar, İstanbul 84/100 Very good
  3. Karşıyaka Sahil Parkı Başiskele, Kocaeli 84/100 Very good
  4. Selimandıra Deresi Yalova Merkez, Yalova 84/100 Very good
  5. Ayaz Beach Burhaniye, Balıkesir 80/100 Very good

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 at night
  • Good at night

In October

  1. Dawn 65

    1.5 h before sunrise → 1 h after

  2. Midday 40

    1 h before midday → 1 h after

  3. Dusk Best 85

    1 h before sunset → 2 h after

  4. Night 85

    0.5 h after sunset → 2 h before sunrise

Moon phase

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

  1. New moon 60
  2. First quarter 55
  3. Full moon 50
  4. Last quarter 55

Best phase: New moon

Windows across 12 months

Best times of day J F M A M J J A S O N D
Dawn 65 65 65 65 65 65 65 65 65 65 65 65
Midday 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40
Dusk 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85
Night 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85

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

1–150 m

mostly 1–30 m

Water temperature

-1.9–23.1 °C

ideal 10.3–20.3 °C

Salinity

Full-strength seawater

15–39.3 ‰

Shore types

  • Sandy beach
  • Cove / inner bay
  • Shingle shore
  • Inside harbours
  • Harbour mouth

Bottom

Lives close to the bottom

  • Sand
  • Sand and gravel
  • Gravel

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.

Bait by month

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

In October

Natural baits

Lures

By water clarity

Bottom ambush predator — Hides on the bottom and grabs whatever passes in front. Movement and the lateral line matter; a scented strip works well too.

Clear Visibility: over 8 m
Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Little cuttlefish · Very suitable Usually in this water: A live small fish or shrimp, or a thin fillet strip; near the bottom. First lure: Tenya / inchiku · Suitable Usually in this water: Jighead + soft plastic (shad/creature); hop it along the bottom. Colour: Natural brown, Red
Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
Lure first, natural also works First natural bait: Little cuttlefish · Very suitable Usually in this water: Fresh fillet strip, shrimp. First lure: Metal jig · Very suitable Usually in this water: Jighead + soft plastic, imitation shrimp or creature. Colour: Pink
Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
Lure first, natural also works First natural bait: Sardine · Very suitable Usually in this water: Scented strip (squid/mackerel), or strip and soft plastic together (tipped jighead). First lure: Tenya / inchiku · Very suitable Usually in this water: Scented soft plastic, tipped jighead; slow. Colour: Pink
Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Sardine · Suitable Usually in this water: Scented strip or fillet; bottom rig; little movement. First lure: Jighead + soft swimbait · Very suitable Usually in this water: Scented soft plastic; rattle. Colour: Dark silhouette, Pink
Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Sardine · Suitable Usually in this water: A big scented chunk; on the bottom. First lure: Jighead + soft swimbait · Weak Colour: Dark silhouette
12-month bait calendar
January
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
February
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
March
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
April
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
May
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
June
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
July
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
August
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
September
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
October
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
November
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku
December
Natural baits: Little cuttlefish, Razor clam, Sardine Lures: Metal jig, Jighead + soft swimbait, Tenya / inchiku

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 high. Colour and presentation guide

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.

Why is the greater weever considered dangerous, and where exactly are its spines?

With the greater weever the first subject is not fishing technique but safety. The FishBase entry flags the species outright as venomous; a Turkish emergency-medicine review writes that within the weever family the member that causes "the most common fish sting in our country" is the greater weever, and gives its popular Turkish name as "Çarpan Balığı" — a name that also appears among the local names in our own records. Where the spines sit is known. A peer-reviewed review describes the venom apparatus in two places: a venomous spine on each gill cover, and venomous spines on the first dorsal fin. The same source gives the number of dorsal spines as anywhere from four to eight, so there is no fixed count — the rule is the region: those two regions are never touched. FishBase likewise writes that the front dorsal fin is black and carries venomous spines. So the risk is not only on the back but on both sides of the head as well; grasping the fish by the body puts your hand exactly between those two groups. The same review also reports that in a measurement made in 1962 the greatest amount of venom was recorded not in the dorsal spines but in the glands of the gill cover. The fish attacks nobody: according to the review the venom apparatus has no muscle, so the secretion cannot be controlled at will; when pressure is applied to a spine the sheath over it tears and the venom seeps into the wound. FishBase writes that the species sits on sandy, muddy or gravelly bottoms, most of the time buried with only its eyes and the tip of the first dorsal fin left showing. The venomous part waits pointing upward even while the fish itself is invisible.

What do you do when a greater weever comes up on the line, and what does the law say?

The first rule is no contact by hand. The peer-reviewed review writes that most envenomations in humans are on the limbs and arise most often while fishermen handle the fish or when it is stepped on in shallow water; a Mediterranean source likewise reports that anglers can drive the spines into their hands while taking the fish off the hook. Free the hook with a hook remover or long-handled pliers rather than with your fingers, carry the fish by the line, do not try to hold it still with your hand, and never touch the first dorsal fin or the gill covers. Gloves are no guarantee: the emergency-medicine source we read writes that the spine is strong enough to go through a leather boot. If the hook will not come free, cut the line instead of forcing it. Do not leave the fish on the deck, on the jetty or on the sand; the moment it is out of sight it becomes an invisible hazard for a bare foot. On the legal side: our records hold no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species, and the sentence printed on the page rests on that absence. That is our record, not a provision of the communiqué. Indeed, the greater weever is not mentioned at all in the official text of amateur communiqué no. 2024/21. One of the general provisions does bear on the ground this species lives on: the fifth paragraph of ARTICLE 16 prohibits fishing inside buoyed swimming areas lying no more than 200 metres from the shore, between 1 April and 15 November. What binds is the official publication in force itself.

What do you do if a spine goes in? (general information)

What follows is general information; it is not a diagnosis, a treatment or a first-aid instruction. If a spine has gone in, this page gives no procedure to follow; go to the nearest health facility without losing time. The emergency-medicine source we read also says to get medical help as soon as possible after a sting. The same source lists symptoms that can appear beyond the wound, across the whole body: fever, shivering, seizure, fainting, nausea, low blood pressure, arrhythmia, headache, sweating and shortness of breath. A Turkish emergency-medicine review adds that the picture can progress to anaphylaxis and that tetanus prophylaxis is recommended. If such a picture develops, call 112. The two halves of the prognosis have to be read together. The Turkish review characterizes the picture as one of severe pain; it writes that the pain frequently ends within 24 hours, while the inflammation in the wound can last up to 14 days. The Norwegian Poisons Information Centre, for its part, records that local symptoms can last days or weeks and that complications and long-term effects are seen; it lists a retained fragment of spine, signs of infection, marked swelling, recurring complaints or general weakness as reasons to see a doctor. The first source adds that infection is common because of how deep the puncture is. If your pain is not passing, or if it is severe, do not wait.

Why are hot water and folk remedies not on this page?

The sources we read speak against the remedies that circulate among the public. The Turkish emergency-medicine review writes that methods such as vinegar, fig juice, boiled cactus, a heated stone and warm urine do appear in the literature, but on very low-grade evidence; an English-language emergency-medicine source states that vinegar, urine or ammonia added to hot water show no benefit. This page recommends none of them. Nor does the page give a temperature, a duration or a procedure. A peer-reviewed case report writes that applying heat carries a burn risk in untrained or unsupervised hands, and lists the examples in the literature: a second-degree burn and partial amputation of a finger in a 54-year-old patient after an immersion applied as first aid; burns ranging from superficial to deep dermal in nine patients who kept the treatment going unsupervised at home. Because burns have been reported even where the treatment was applied as first aid, no figure is written here; whether heat is used at all is for the health facility you go to to decide.

Is the greater weever good to eat, and how big does it get?

The venom is in the spines, not in the flesh; we found no record reporting toxicity for the meat itself. FishBase classifies the species as of minor commercial importance and writes that its flesh is used fresh and frozen and can be pan-fried, grilled, boiled or baked. A Mediterranean source calls the flesh "excellent" and reports that it goes into the bouillabaisse of Marseille; the same source says care is needed in the kitchen, because the spines stay dangerous even though the fish is dead. A study on the Mediterranean coast of Israel counts cleaning the fish for the table among the sources of injury caused by marine animals. You will not find a cleaning procedure here: saying "cut it there" without verified processing information would be inventing a safety instruction. On measurements, FishBase gives a maximum of 53 centimetres total length (TL) and a common length of 25 centimetres standard length (SL). Because standard length leaves out the tail fin, these two figures cannot be read as a single range. Depth is 1-150 metres, mostly 1-30 metres. The spawning record reads "June and August" — the two months are written separately, not as one continuous period.

Species profile

Greater weever
Scientific name
Trachinus draco
Family
Trachinidae
Order
Perciformes
Water type
Saltwater
Seas
Sea of Marmara, Black Sea, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean
Other names
Trakonya, Çarpan balığı

Frequently asked questions

Which seas is Greater weever found in?

In our records Greater weever appears in these seas: Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean, North Aegean & Thrace — Greece, Central & South Aegean — Greece, Ionian Sea — Greece, Crete & Libyan Sea — Greece, Ligurian Sea — Italy, Tyrrhenian Sea — Italy, Adriatic — Italy, Ionian Sea — Italy, Strait of Sicily — Italy, Sardinian Sea — Italy, Atlantic Ocean — Spain, Mediterranean — Spain, Cantabrian Sea — Spain, Balearic Sea — Spain, Alboran Sea — Spain, Gulf of Cádiz — Spain, Strait of Gibraltar — Spain, South East coast — England, South coast — England, South West coast — England, Black Sea — Bulgaria, Black Sea — Romania, North Sea — Netherlands, North Sea — Belgium.

In which months is Greater weever at its peak?

Peak periods by sea: Sardinian Sea — Italy May–September; Sea of Marmara all year; Black Sea all year; Aegean Sea all year; Mediterranean all year; North Aegean & Thrace — Greece October–April; Central & South Aegean — Greece October–April; Ionian Sea — Greece October–April; Crete & Libyan Sea — Greece September–June; Ligurian Sea — Italy May–September; Tyrrhenian Sea — Italy May–September; Adriatic — Italy May–September; Strait of Sicily — Italy May–September; Ionian Sea — Italy May–September; Mediterranean — Spain May–September; Alboran Sea — Spain May–September; Strait of Gibraltar — Spain May–September; Gulf of Cádiz — Spain May–September; Cantabrian Sea — Spain April–August; Atlantic Ocean — Spain April–August; Balearic Sea — Spain May–September; Black Sea — Bulgaria June–October; Black Sea — Romania June–September; South East coast — England June–September; South coast — England June–September; South West coast — England June–September; North Sea — Netherlands June–September; North Sea — Belgium June–September.

Which bait is Greater weever caught with?

Baits and lures on record: shrimp, fish flesh, European anchovy, Atlantic horse mackerel, soft plastic, micro jig, European sprat, European sardine, mamun, sülünez, European squid.

Is the greater weever still dangerous after it dies?

Yes — the venom does not depend on the fish being alive. A Mediterranean source writes that the spines of a dead fish are a hazard even in the kitchen; an emergency-medicine page reports that the toxin can stay active in a dead animal for hours. In practice this means the same care is needed at every stage: bucket to cool box, cool box to counter.

Does the flesh of the greater weever carry venom?

We came across no record reporting venom in the muscle tissue; the venom organs named in the sources are the spines and the glands that go with them. FishBase treats the fish as a species used for food. So the place to be careful is not the plate but the stage where the fish is handled.

Are there species the greater weever can be confused with?

The weever family is not a single species. Besides Trachinus draco, the GBIF database also lists observations of Trachinus radiatus, Trachinus araneus and Echiichthys vipera for Türkiye; these are not a measure of abundance, only of the existence of records. FishBase gives radiatus a maximum of 50 centimetres total length, so taking a large individual to be draco automatically would be wrong. In any case, telling them apart changes nothing in practice: the habit of not touching the spiny regions holds for all of them.

Is there a risk when you walk barefoot in shallow water?

According to the peer-reviewed review, part of the stings come from the fish being trodden on while it lies hidden on the bottom in the shallow tidal zone; the same source notes that Echiichthys vipera comes very close to shore in the warm months. An English-language reference page advises shuffling your feet along the bottom when walking in sandy, muddy coastal water. The measure counts not only against the weever but against the other species that sit on the bottom as well.

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