Introducing saupe
The saupe (Sarpa salpa) is a common coastal fish in the Mediterranean and on the Atlantic Basque coast. It lives in dense schools, often near rocks and Posidonia meadows, and feeds mainly on algae, although it can sometimes accept animal bait.
Fishing techniques
Saupe fishing is mostly done during the day, with a float, a spinning rod (without reel) or light casting with a Bolognese rod.
Set-ups should be fine and discreet: floats of 4 to 5 grams maximum, leaders in 18 to 26/100 depending on the size required and sea conditions encountered.
Recommended hooks are straight long shank or small treble hooks (size 8 to 16 depending on the bait), adapted to the small mouth and sharp teeth of the sauper.
Bait and groundbait for sauper fishing
The most effective bait is bread (crumb shaped into a light ball), but saupe can also be caught with dough, seaweed (stringy green) or a mixture of dough and seaweed for a better hold on the hook.
Baiting with bread quickly attracts schools of sauper, which then rise to the surface or mid-depth to feed. To select the largest individuals, we advise you to fish at close range and strike quickly on contact, as sauper will violently tear off the bait.
Fishing behavior and conditions
Saups are more active and less wary in slightly choppy seas or in the presence of foam; in calm seas and clear water, they become difficult to catch. They swim in compact schools, and once a fish is hooked, the school may flee, hence the importance of hooking the best fish and moving them quickly away from the baiting area.
Fishing is often done by sight, spotting the golden sheen of fish below the surface.
Recommended equipment for saupe fishing
- Long pole (5-6 m) or light casting rod, fitted with a light reel with 18 to 26/100 nylon.
- Discreet float (4-5 g max), fine leader, long straight hook or small treble hook.
- Long-handled landing net recommended for secure hold.
To remember
Saupe fishing is fun and sporty, accessible to all, but requires finesse and discretion. In some regions, saupe is not recommended for consumption due to the risk of food poisoning (ictiotoxism), or it must be eaten fresh and the black membrane inside the fish removed. But it does offer some very nice fights for light fishing enthusiasts.
