Species Caught

These are a few examples of some of the more common species you can catch aboard Wight Sapphire.

Cod is a great fish for eating and can be caught all year round, from the shoreline out to deep water. It can grow up to 2 metres long, and weigh up to 35kg.

The area around the Isle of Wight is known as a good tope fishing area. Summer is the best season, starting around May. Tope can be found in a wide variety of habitats, and hunt in packs, scattering smaller fish and using their speed to catch them. Any type of bottom dwelling fish make good bait, as does squid or cuttlefish.

Bream are usually found in the summer months, from April to September. They shoal over reefs, shelves and underwater outcrops, and feed voraciously. They can be caught on feathered lines like mackerel, or with strips of mackerel. They are excellent eating.

Bass are a prized catch, and are great fighters. Interestingly, they begin life as males, but change sex around 2 years old. A mature female can weigh up to 7kg. They tend to be found in deeper waters, between March and October.

Conger eels are found on wrecks or rocky seabeds, where they hole up and ambush smaller fish. Large congers can be very large (the world record was 60kg). You will need a strong rod in case you hook a big one! They will take a variety of baits, including squid, cuttlefish, and whole mackerel.