The behavior of the scorpion fish
The brown scorpion fish is a small predatory fish of the Mediterranean Sea which uses the mimicry of its body to blend in with its biotope and thus hide from its prey. It emerges from its hiding place when an opportunity to eat passes by. Its body is often of a brown tint, provided with small flaps of skin imitating algae on a rock.
On its back, gills and belly, the scorpion fish has venomous spines that serve as a defense weapon against potential predators. It hides mainly in dykes, in holes in rocky coast and in clusters of posidonia.
It is a rather nocturnal fish, endowed with a very good vision and which takes advantage of the darkness to become completely invisible near its preys.
Where to find it?
Knowing where the scorpion fish are located is essential if you want to catch them. In general, you should favor rocky areas, where the scorpion fish can easily camouflage itself. It feeds on different crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps, but also on small fishes thinking they are sheltered under a rock.
It favors dark corners during the day and comes out of its den at night, not far from its favorite hole in case of approaching danger. The scorpion fish likes shallow areas in summer, from 0 to 10 meters, but it can also be found at a depth of almost 100 meters.
Areas where currents or waves sweep the bottom allow it to seize a shrimp or a crab drifting by. Avoid sandy areas, the scorpion fish can not hide there and therefore remains away.
Targeting scorpion fish
Now that we are on a zone favourable to the presence of the brown scorpion fish, we will have to succeed in luring it. Whether it is by day or by night, rockfishing is without any doubt the most efficient technique to catch them.
Choose small soft lures, no more than 5 cm, resembling crustaceans or even fish fry. A lead head up to 3 grams will allow you to go down quickly on the bottom, the living area of the scorpion fish. The animations must be carried out in the vicinity of the holes or the faults created by heaps of stones. Ten seconds or so of bouncing the lure on the bottom is usually enough to get the scorpion fish out of its hole, if there is one.
Comb through all the crevices that can be easily reached with your lure, without ever losing sight of it. You will sometimes be surprised by the violence of the attack of a scorpion fish, determined to swallow your lure and then go back to hide in its hole.
