Ionian Sea · fish in season in November
Peak season
European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax
One of the main shore-angling species in Greece, including the Patraikos Gulf on the Ionian. Autumn and early winter are the season; late November to February is spawning time, and anglers are advised to leave it in peace.
Where: River and stream mouths, breakwaters and surf beaches.
Shore spinning Surfcasting Trolling Minnow (hard bait) Soft plastic Small live fish Peeler crab Ragworm
Source: University of Thessaly Institutional Repository · Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com
Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix
More abundant in the southern and eastern Mediterranean; caught almost all year, with numbers rising from September. Sharp teeth—use a wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader.
Where: River mouths, harbour entrances and current-breaking points.
Shore spinning Jigging Sabiki / feather rig Spoon Minnow (hard bait) Metal jig Horse mackerel Anchovy Sardine
Source: CIESM · Wikipedia (it)
Atlantic bonito Sarda sarda
From late summer to late autumn it hunts bait shoals near the coast, and may come inshore until December.
Where: Open water with birds and surface boils.
Sabiki / feather rig Trolling Shore spinning Sabiki feathers Minnow (hard bait) Metal jig Horse mackerel Sardine Anchovy
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com · Peche.com
Gilt-head bream Sparus aurata
One of the four species that dominate Greek shore-angling catches. Spring and especially autumn are the seasons, with big fish moving close in before winter.
Where: Beaches, lagoon and harbour mouths, mixed sand-and-rock bottoms.
Bottom fishing Surfcasting Float fishing Soft plastic Minnow (hard bait) Hardback crab Mussel Shrimp
Source: University of Thessaly Institutional Repository · Peche.com · Garmin Italia (blog)
White seabream Diplodus sargus
A leading Greek shore-angling species, inshore all year; rough, foamy seas and autumn bring it close.
Where: Rocks, breakwaters and rocky beaches.
Bottom fishing Float fishing Light rock fishing (LRF) Minnow (hard bait) Soft plastic Mussel Hardback crab Ragworm
Source: University of Thessaly Institutional Repository · Peche.com · Peche.com
Chub mackerel Scomber japonicus
Becomes very active with the first cold spells; seen with bait shoals in autumn.
Where: Inshore open water and harbours.
Sabiki / feather rig Jigging Sabiki feathers Spoon Metal jig
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com
Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili
Autumn is the best season; until December it comes inshore after small fish and cephalopods.
Where: Rocky island shores, shoals and drop-offs; live bait or jigs.
Live bait Jigging Slow jigging Metal jig Popper Minnow (hard bait) Horse mackerel Small live fish
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com · Giornale della Vela
Common dentex Dentex dentex
Autumn is the most productive season; in winter it moves deeper. March–May is spawning time, when it is best left alone.
Where: Rocky ridges and drop-offs; live bait on the bottom or slow-trolled.
Live bait Trolling Bottom fishing Minnow (hard bait) Metal jig Small live fish Squid Cuttlefish
Source: Peche.com · Garmin Italia (blog) · Wikipedia (it)
European squid Loligo vulgaris
October to December is the prime time; it still comes inshore in January–February.
Where: Breakwaters, harbour entrances and lit quays; eging at sunset and night.
Eging (squid) Squid jig (egi)
Source: Peche.com · Garmin Italia (blog) · Wikipedia (it)
In season
Common octopus Octopus vulgaris
Inshore all year.
Where: Rocky shallows, breakwaters and harbours.
Bottom fishing Handline Drifting Octopus lure Crab Fish strip
Source: Peche.com
Leerfish Lichia amia
A powerful predator targeted by spinning and trolling; more often met in autumn when bait shoals gather inshore. Monthly values are conservative.
Where: Harbour entrances, river mouths and beaches with baitfish.
Live bait Trolling Shore spinning Minnow (hard bait) Popper Spoon Small live fish Squid Horse mackerel
Source: Wikipedia (it) · Peche.com · Peche.com
Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus
Still caught by boat bottom fishing in winter; a valuable live bait for predators.
Where: Harbours, breakwaters and inshore open water.
Sabiki / feather rig Jigging Sabiki feathers Soft plastic Metal jig Anchovy Sardine Squid
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com
Common two-banded seabream Diplodus vulgaris
A resident member of the sar group; sources treat the sars together, so monthly values are general.
Where: Rocky shores and harbours.
Bottom fishing Float fishing Handline Ragworm Mussel Shrimp
Common pandora Pagellus erythrinus
A prized winter target for bottom fishing from a boat (bolentino). Sources for the summer months are limited.
Where: Sandy and muddy bottoms; from a boat.
Bottom fishing Handline Drifting Shrimp Squid Sardine
Flathead grey mullet Mugil cephalus
Grey mullets (several species) are inshore all year; values reflect the mullet group.
Where: River mouths, lagoons and harbours.
Float fishing Bottom fishing Handline Bread Dough bait Ragworm
Source: Peche.com · Garmin Italia (blog)
Common dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus
Seen offshore with bait shoals from late summer to late autumn; a much-loved seasonal fish in Italy and Malta.
Where: Around floating objects and bait shoals offshore; trolling.
Trolling Boat spinning Shore spinning Minnow (hard bait) Popper Stickbait Small live fish Squid Cuttlefish
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Menorca.info
Little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus
Spawns in spring–summer in the Mediterranean; in late summer and autumn it takes trolled lures around bait shoals.
Where: Open water and surface boils.
Trolling Shore spinning Boat spinning Minnow (hard bait) Metal jig Spoon Small live fish Sardine
Source: Wikipedia (it) · Peche.com
Annular seabream Diplodus annularis
One of the four most-caught species in Greek shore angling. No monthly pattern was found in the sources; values reflect year-round presence.
Where: Seagrass edges, harbours and shallow mixed bottoms.
Bottom fishing Float fishing Light rock fishing (LRF) Soft plastic Jig head Ragworm Shrimp Mussel
Source: University of Thessaly Institutional Repository · FishBase
Salema porgy Sarpa salpa
Inshore all year; herbivorous, usually taken on weed or bread.
Where: Weedy rocks and shallow shores.
Float fishing Bottom fishing Bread Dough bait Seaweed
Black scorpionfish Scorpaena porcus
A resident rock dweller; rockfishing works all year. Spines are venomous.
Where: Rocks and harbour bottoms.
Bottom fishing Light rock fishing (LRF) Float fishing Soft plastic Jig head Fish strip Horse mackerel Shrimp
Common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis
Comes inshore to spawn from March to July; spring is the best season, autumn the second.
Where: Seagrass and weedy shallows, harbours.
Eging (squid) Drifting Squid jig (egi)
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Wikipedia (it)
Yellowmouth barracuda Sphyraena viridensis
A typical summer spinning target around harbours and islands; in autumn it also follows bait shoals inshore.
Where: Harbour entrances, marinas and rocky island shores; at dusk.
Shore spinning Boat spinning Live bait Minnow (hard bait) Stickbait Soft plastic Small live fish
Source: Giornale della Vela · Peche.com · Wikipedia (it)
European conger Conger conger
In winter big congers are taken on bottom rigs from beaches and breakwaters.
Where: Breakwaters and rocky shores; at night.
Bottom fishing Surfcasting Drifting Mackerel strip Squid Cuttlefish
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · FishBase
Occasional
Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus
CLOSED SEASON
Tightly regulated: in the EU an authorisation, at most one bluefin per vessel per day and a sales ban apply, and live release is encouraged. Always check national rules. Monthly values reflect the general Mediterranean pattern.
Where: Offshore; only from authorised vessels.
Trolling Live bait Boat spinning Trolling lure Popper Stickbait Sardine Mackerel strip Small live fish
Garfish Belone belone
Comes inshore to spawn in late winter–spring; September is considered the best inshore month.
Where: Inshore surface water.
Float fishing Light rock fishing (LRF) Shore spinning Metal jig Soft plastic Fly Fish strip Mackerel strip Sand eel
Source: Yacht Digest · Wikipedia (it)
Sand steenbras Lithognathus mormyrus
Moves inshore as the water warms; May to October is the main surfcasting season.
Where: The surf line and shallow sandy bottoms.
Surfcasting Bottom fishing Light rock fishing (LRF) Soft plastic Jig head Lugworm Ragworm Mud shrimp
Saddled seabream Oblada melanurus
Very common in Italian seas; it spawns in spring and summer, when it is most plentiful inshore.
Where: Near the surface along rocky points and breakwaters; float tackle.
Float fishing Trolling Bottom fishing Minnow (hard bait) Sabiki feathers Bread Shrimp Sardine
Source: Wikipedia (it) · Peche.com
Pompano Trachinotus ovatus
Common in the Mediterranean; it spawns in summer and is taken on light tackle off beaches in the warm months. Monthly values are conservative.
Where: Shallow, clear-water beaches.
Shore spinning Light rock fishing (LRF) Live bait Popper Stickbait Metal jig Small live fish Fish strip
Source: Wikipedia (it) · Peche.com
This is the general seasonal pattern for the region, not live data. It can shift by a few weeks with water temperature, migration and the year.