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Overview

How to target

Goldsinny Wrasse
Species ID: goldsinny-wrasse

Goldsinny Wrasse

A small, shy wrasse common around UK rocky coasts, especially the south-west, west and Scottish shores. Look for them in clear, calm water around kelp beds, boulder fields, weedy h...

🌊 Tide: flood 💨 Wind: calm 📅 Peak: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Best tide

flood

Moon

neap

Season

May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Wind

calm

Max weight

0.3 kg

Day vs night

Day 95%
Night 5%
A small, shy wrasse common around UK rocky coasts, especially the south-west, west and Scottish shores. Look for them in clear, calm water around kelp beds, boulder fields, weedy harbour walls and pier piles. Best sport is on a flooding tide up to high water in late spring through autumn when sea temps are mild. Use light LRF-style tackle: size 12–16 hooks on short snoods or dropshot rigs with 4–8 lb fluorocarbon. Tiny baits score—slivers of ragworm or isome, prawn, mussel, or crab leg; present tight to weed, holes and ledges, or suspend under a small float along the kelp line. Expect rapid pecking bites; a gentle lift usually sets the hook. They’re daylight feeders and spook easily in swell or colour—calm, clear days and neap tides help. Handle with wet hands and release quickly; bycatch often includes corkwing and rock cook wrasse.

Temperature

9–18°C

Depth range

0.5–15 m

Baits

  • Harbour Rag (Maddies) 9.2/10
  • Ragworm 8.8/10
  • Mussel 8.5/10
  • Limpet 8/10
  • Prawn / Shrimp 7.8/10
  • Soft Plastic (Worm / Isome-style) 7.2/10

Rigs

  • Float (Sliding) 9.1/10

    Adjustable float lets you fish tiny rag/mussel baits tight to kelp and pier walls 1–4 m down. Keeps bait above snags and in the wrasse zone; ideal on clear, rocky shores and harbour marks.

  • Dropshot 8.8/10

    LRF style beside harbour walls and boulder fields; pins a small worm imitation or bait strip just off bottom. Minimal lead reduces snagging and telegraphs delicate goldsinny bites.

  • Split Shot Rig 8.5/10

    Freelines tiny rag/prawn pieces along rock edges and pier piles. Natural sink rate tempts shy fish; easy to lift over kelp. Use size 10–14 hooks on light braid/fluoro.

  • Jighead 8/10

    1–5 g micro jigheads with 1–2 in soft plastics; hop through rock pools, ledges and kelp fringes on a flooding tide. Covers water quickly and draws aggressive wrasse hits.

  • Texas Rig 7.8/10

    Weedless small worm/creature baits with a light bullet (1–3 g) crawled through kelp and rough ground. Slides over snags and still hooks small-mouthed wrasse cleanly.