Tyrrhenian & Ligurian Sea · fish in season in November
Peak season
European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax
Autumn and early winter are the bass season; in winter, river mouths bring warmer, food-rich water that draws bass. Late November to February is spawning time, and anglers are advised to leave it in peace.
Where: River mouths, rock-armoured breakwaters and surf beaches; light inshore trolling also works.
Shore spinning Surfcasting Trolling Minnow (hard bait) Soft plastic Small live fish Peeler crab Ragworm
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com · Peche.com
Atlantic bonito Sarda sarda
From late summer to late autumn it hunts bait shoals near the coast, and may come inshore until December.
Where: Inshore open water with birds and surface boils; casting jigs, minnows or trolling.
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
Spring and especially autumn are the seasons, with big fish moving close in before winter. In winter it is also taken from beaches after a blow, on crab and shrimp.
Where: Beaches, harbour mouths and mixed sand-and-rock bottoms; surfcasting and ledgering.
Bottom fishing Surfcasting Float fishing Soft plastic Minnow (hard bait) Hardback crab Mussel Shrimp
Source: Peche.com · Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com
White seabream Diplodus sargus
Inshore all year; foamy, choppy seas and autumn bring it close. In winter it is also caught from beaches.
Where: Rocks, breakwaters and rocky beaches; foamy water where waves wash the rocks.
Bottom fishing Float fishing Light rock fishing (LRF) Minnow (hard bait) Soft plastic Mussel Hardback crab Ragworm
Source: Peche.com · Peche.com · Garmin Italia (blog)
Chub mackerel Scomber japonicus
Becomes very active with the first cold spells; seen with bait shoals in autumn.
Where: Inshore open water and harbours; feathers or small metal lures.
Sabiki / feather rig Jigging Sabiki feathers Spoon Metal jig
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com
Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili
Seen around islands in summer; autumn is the best season, and until December it comes inshore after small fish and cephalopods. In February it may turn up chasing squid.
Where: Rocky island shores, offshore shoals and drop-offs; live bait, jigs or black minnow soft lures.
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 December and February it may also come closer chasing squid. March–May is spawning time, when it is best left alone.
Where: Rocky ridges and drop-offs; live bait (squid, horse mackerel) 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) · Corse Net Infos
European squid Loligo vulgaris
October to December is the prime time; it still comes inshore in January–February. In the western Mediterranean larger squid start their inshore migration 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) · Corse Net Infos
Bullet tuna Auxis rochei
Targeted offshore on bait shoals mainly in October–November.
Where: Open water and surface boils; trolling.
Trolling Shore spinning Boat spinning Metal jig Trolling lure Spoon Anchovy Sardine Fish strip
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Peche.com
In season
Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix
A migratory species that has clearly increased in the northern Mediterranean in recent decades. 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; surface and metal lures.
Shore spinning Jigging Sabiki / feather rig Spoon Minnow (hard bait) Metal jig Horse mackerel Anchovy Sardine
Source: Wikipedia (it)
Common octopus Octopus vulgaris
Inshore all year; in winter it also grabs squid jigs.
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 holding 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 bolentino 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 December target for bolentino (bottom fishing from a boat); lives close inshore over sand and mud. Sources for the summer months are limited.
Where: Sandy and muddy bottoms; bottom rigs from a boat.
Bottom fishing Handline Drifting Shrimp Squid Sardine
Flathead grey mullet Mugil cephalus
Grey mullets (several species) are inshore all year; small ones are also used as bait for bass and bream. Values reflect the mullet group.
Where: River mouths, harbours and beaches.
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. Balearic data show it disappears from the coast between January and May.
Where: Around floating objects and bait shoals offshore; trolling or live bait.
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 readily 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
Red porgy Pagrus pagrus
October is a good month for red porgy and other sparids on rocky plateaus; sources for other months are limited.
Where: Rocky plateaus and drop-off edges; from a boat.
Bottom fishing Slow jigging Drifting Inchiku Metal jig Squid Shrimp Fish strip
Salema porgy Sarpa salpa
Inshore all year; herbivorous, usually taken on weed or bread.
Where: Weedy rocks and beaches near river mouths.
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, breakwater boulders 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; calm sea at dusk.
Eging (squid) Drifting Squid jig (egi)
Source: Garmin Italia (blog) · Corse Net Infos
Yellowmouth barracuda Sphyraena viridensis
A typical summer spinning target around harbours and islands; in midsummer fish of 1–2 kg are usual. It spawns in late spring to early summer.
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, harbour bottoms 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 and the yearly quota status. 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
Dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus
PROTECTED
Protected: banned in France, including Corsica; on the Italian coast check local rules and marine protected areas. If caught, release it promptly and carefully.
Source: Peche.com
Garfish Belone belone
Comes inshore to spawn in late winter–spring; September is considered the best inshore month. One of the best live baits for amberjack and dentex.
Where: Inshore surface water; float tackle or small lures.
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. Taken from shore on bread or paste, from boats on lures.
Where: Near the surface along rocky points and breakwaters.
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 and the surf line.
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.