European hake Fishing

Lives over the muddy 80-200 m bottom of the broad shelf between Tripoli and Misratah and is the main commercial species of the Libyan trawl fishery. It feeds close to the bottom in winter and at night; use a heavy bottom rig with fresh sardine or squid, or a 150-250 g vertical jig. The mouth is soft and the teeth fine, so avoid a hard strike and pump slowly and steadily. Where small fish dominate, size up the hook.

Merluccius merluccius

European hake (Merluccius merluccius)
Photo: Fernando Losada Rodríguez · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Season calendar

JanFebMarAprMay
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
OctNovDec

Active periodSpawning period — release what you catch

Season
January–May, October–December
Water temperature
8–18 °C
Spawning
January–March
Behaviour
Deep demersal fish

Techniques

  • Deep bottom fishing
  • vertical jigging

Frequently asked

When is the best time to catch european hake?
The productive window for european hake runs January–May, October–December. January–March is the spawning period; releasing your catch during these months is strongly advised.
What water temperature does european hake feed in?
European hake is most active between 8 and 18 °C. Outside that band its feeding rate drops off.
How do you fish for european hake?
Common methods: Deep bottom fishing, vertical jigging.

Species that fish under similar conditions

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