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Overview
How to target
Species
ID: spurdog
Spurdog
Spurdog gather in packs and are most reliable from UK shore marks with deep, fast water: big piers, headlands, sea lochs and tidal channels on the west and north coasts (e.g. Irish...
🌊 Tide: flood 💨 Wind: onshore 📅 Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
Best tide
flood
Moon
spring
Season
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec
Wind
onshore
Max weight
9 kg
Day vs night
Day
40%
Night
90% (best)
Spurdog gather in packs and are most reliable from UK shore marks with deep, fast water: big piers, headlands, sea lochs and tidal channels on the west and north coasts (e.g. Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, North Wales and western Scotland). They favour cool water and strong run. Best results typically come at night on a flooding tide into and around high water, especially on spring tides when the flow carries a strong scent trail.
Tackle: a sturdy beachcaster with a 5–6 oz grip lead to hold bottom in tide. Use a pulley pennel or pulley dropper with 4/0–6/0 strong wire hooks. A 60–80 lb shock leader and 80–100 lb mono rubbing leader help against abrasion; add a short 30–60 lb wire bite trace if bite-offs occur. Clip-down rigs aid distance and keep big baits aerodynamic.
Baits: oily fish is prime—mackerel, herring, bluey or scad—either whole or large flappers. Squid or squid/fish cocktails also work. Refresh baits regularly to keep scent high. Cast uptide of gullies, ledges or channel edges so the scent washes back to the fish holding down-tide.
Where to place baits: target 6–40 m water from shore access—drop-offs, loch walls, pier ends and rock points with strong tidal run. Coloured water and an onshore blow can improve confidence; clear, calm conditions are often tougher unless fishing after dark.
Handling and care: spurdog have venomous dorsal spines—pin the fish gently on a wet mat or in a landing net, keep hands clear of the spines, and use a T-bar disgorger or long-nose pliers. Support the fish horizontally for a quick photo and release. They often arrive in numbers; keep rigs tidy and be ready for multiple hookups.
Tackle: a sturdy beachcaster with a 5–6 oz grip lead to hold bottom in tide. Use a pulley pennel or pulley dropper with 4/0–6/0 strong wire hooks. A 60–80 lb shock leader and 80–100 lb mono rubbing leader help against abrasion; add a short 30–60 lb wire bite trace if bite-offs occur. Clip-down rigs aid distance and keep big baits aerodynamic.
Baits: oily fish is prime—mackerel, herring, bluey or scad—either whole or large flappers. Squid or squid/fish cocktails also work. Refresh baits regularly to keep scent high. Cast uptide of gullies, ledges or channel edges so the scent washes back to the fish holding down-tide.
Where to place baits: target 6–40 m water from shore access—drop-offs, loch walls, pier ends and rock points with strong tidal run. Coloured water and an onshore blow can improve confidence; clear, calm conditions are often tougher unless fishing after dark.
Handling and care: spurdog have venomous dorsal spines—pin the fish gently on a wet mat or in a landing net, keep hands clear of the spines, and use a T-bar disgorger or long-nose pliers. Support the fish horizontally for a quick photo and release. They often arrive in numbers; keep rigs tidy and be ready for multiple hookups.
Temperature
6–13°C
Depth range
6–40 m
Baits
- Bluey (Pacific Saury) 9.3/10
- Mackerel Strip 8.8/10
- Squid 8/10
Rigs
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Pulley Pennel Rig 9.2/10
Top choice from rough ground/ledges. Presents large oily baits on a pennel; pulley lifts the lead during the fight to beat snags. Add a short wire biting trace and 60–80 lb mono for abrasion; handles heavy tide.
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Pulley Pennel Dropper 8.8/10
Great for surf beaches needing distance. Bait clips streamlined for casting, then drops to fish. Long snood pennel with short wire trace suits big mackerel/squid baits. Good bite detection and hook-ups in tide.
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Up and Over 8.2/10
Long-snood rig that pins a big bait hard on the deck where spurs patrol. Clips for distance on clean/mixed ground. Fish a pennel and short wire trace; sensitive to shy takes but strong enough for tide.
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Running Ledger 7.6/10
Simple, effective from deep piers/harbours. Lets spurdog pick up and move off with minimal resistance. Use a long snood, pennel, and short wire biting trace; add a grip lead in strong run.
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Rotten Bottom Pulley 7.4/10
For very snaggy kelp/rock marks. Weak-link ‘rotten bottom’ sheds the lead on the take or snag, and pulley action lifts gear clear. Fish big oily baits on a pennel with a short wire biting trace.