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Overview

How to target

Transparent Goby
Species ID: transparent-goby

Transparent Goby

A tiny, near-transparent shoaler that drifts in midwater around sheltered UK shores. Look for them April to September when sea temps creep into double figures, especially in harbou...

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

Best tide

flood

Moon

none

Season

Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Wind

calm

Max weight

0.001 kg

Day vs night

Day 30%
Night 90% (best)
A tiny, near-transparent shoaler that drifts in midwater around sheltered UK shores. Look for them April to September when sea temps creep into double figures, especially in harbours, estuary mouths and under pier lights where flood tide carries plankton in. After dusk they often gather right under surface lights, tight to walls and along the ‘light line’. Use ultra-fine tackle: 0.06–0.12 mm mono/fluoro, size 26–30 Tanago or micro-sabiki hooks, and a grain-of-salt-sized fleck of prawn, mackerel skin, isome or bread paste. Present just sub-surface with a small split shot or petite pencil/avon float and strike very gently. Handle with wet hands or unhook in the water and release immediately; they’re delicate and not a retained species. Expect bycatch like sand smelt, tiny sprat and sandeel fry in the same spots.

Temperature

9–18°C

Depth range

0.2–20 m

Baits

  • Sabiki 8/10
  • White Rag 6.8/10
  • Harbour Rag (Maddies) 6.2/10
  • Soft Plastic (Finesse Minnow) 4.5/10

Rigs

  • Dropshot 9.2/10

    Ultra-finesse for harbours/pontoons. Suspend a tiny piece of isome/squid on a size 16–12 hook just off bottom or midwater under pier lights. Precise depth control suits shoaling transparent gobies in slack to gentle tides.

  • Split Shot Rig 8.5/10

    Simple, subtle and perfect in rockpools, marina corners and calm coves. Size 16–14 hook with a micro worm sliver; slow sink looks natural to tiny-mouthed gobies. Great in very shallow, clear water on neap or slack tides.

  • Jighead 7.8/10

    1–2 g micro jighead with 1" soft worm/shrimp. Hop or glide along harbour walls and pontoon legs to locate shoals. Keep movements tiny; pause often. Best in calm seas where bites are delicate.

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