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Scientific name
Lithognathus mormyrus (Linné, 1758)
Morphology
This is a silvery round fish. The upper half of its body displays 13 to 15 dark transverse stripes, giving it the name "Marbled" or "Striped". The ventral fins and anal fin are yellowish and the tail is edged in black.
Fishing spots
Marbled seabream move closer to the coast when the water warms up well in late spring. They can be found on beaches, sandy ridges, muddy bottoms, estuaries, Posidonia meadows, rocks and rocky dykes.
Fishing techniques
Alluvial areas are excellent spots for marblefish fishing. They can be spotted on seaweed-filled areas when a sandy hole contrasts with the dark color of the seaweed. The strong molars of the morme, as it is also known, enable it to crush prey such as shellfish. This noble fish, whose flesh is highly esteemed, is difficult to trap, making it a captivating sport to catch. In this respect, don't hesitate to reduce the diameter of the leader to 0.22 to 0.25 mm, or even 0.18 mm for the most experienced anglers, as the marbled is a very wary fish. Marbleheads hunt day and night in the clear waters of the Mediterranean, particularly in Corsica, and are much easier to catch at night.
Reproduction
Females lay pelagic eggs in early summer.
Size and weight
- Legal minimum size: 20 cm (set by the European Union on December 21, 2006).
- Size at sexual maturity: 20 cm
- Average size: 15 to 30 cm
- Maximum size: 55 cm (1.3 kg)
- French record: 1.105 kg (Arcachon, 11/09/2013).
Good to know
Marblefish like shallow water and the eddies and rocking areas of the waves at the coast in summer, where food is desanded and becomes easily accessible.
