Fish

Common dentex

Dentón

Dentex dentex

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

3–12 lb.

Depth

50–400 ft; big fish often 100–250 ft.

Best time

Dawn and the first hours of the morning.

Found in

6 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A deep-bodied, powerful sea bream with a steep forehead (big males get a hump), a silvery-pink to bronze body with scattered small blue-black spots on the upper sides, and big, strong canine teeth in both jaws. Young fish have dark bars.
Typical size: 3–12 lb.
Maximum size: About 3 ft and over 25 lb.
Diet: Fish (bogue, picarel, small bream), squid and cuttlefish.
Behavior: A predator of rocky drop-offs and reef edges that hunts alone or in small groups, often rising off the bottom to attack bait schools.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Spain & Portugal (Azores, Madeira & Canaries), France, Italy & Malta, Greece & the Adriatic, Turkey, Cyprus & the Eastern Mediterranean and Morocco & West Africa. Rocky bottoms, drop-offs and seagrass edges all around the Mediterranean (Croatia, Greece, Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearics and Malta are famous) and along the Atlantic from Portugal to Morocco and the Canaries.
Habitat: Rocky bottoms, drop-offs and seagrass edges all around the Mediterranean (Croatia, Greece, Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearics and Malta are famous) and along the Atlantic from Portugal to Morocco and the Canaries.
Depth: 50–400 ft; big fish often 100–250 ft.
Fishing depth: Near the bottom over rock, or a few yards above it.
Best season: Spring and autumn are best (April–June and September–November).
Best time: Dawn and the first hours of the morning.
Best tides: Little tide in the Mediterranean; a light current over the reef is best.
Best weather / conditions: Calm seas after a few days of stable weather.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Live squid, cuttlefish, bogue or horse mackerel on a downrigger or a weighted live-bait rig.
Best artificial lures: Slow-pitch jigs, inchiku jigs, big soft shads and deep-trolled minnow plugs.
Tackle setup: 6½–7 ft medium-heavy jigging or live-bait rod with a 20–30 lb class reel.
Hook size: 2/0–5/0 strong hooks; assist hooks on jigs.
Line: 20–30 lb braid.
Leader: 30–50 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Leader Jigs Inchiku

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Rocky bottoms, drop-offs and seagrass edges all around the Mediterranean (Croatia, Greece, Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearics and Malta are famous) and along the Atlantic from Portugal to Morocco and the Canaries.
Rig up: 6½–7 ft medium-heavy jigging or live-bait rod with a 20–30 lb class reel. 30–50 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Live squid, cuttlefish, bogue or horse mackerel on a downrigger or a weighted live-bait rig. Lures: Slow-pitch jigs, inchiku jigs, big soft shads and deep-trolled minnow plugs.
Fish it: Drift slowly along rocky drop-offs and work a slow-pitch jig in the bottom 30 ft, or troll a live squid or bogue just above the rocks at walking pace.
Time it: Dawn and the first hours of the morning. Little tide in the Mediterranean; a light current over the reef is best.

Fishing techniques: Drift slowly along rocky drop-offs and work a slow-pitch jig in the bottom 30 ft, or troll a live squid or bogue just above the rocks at walking pace.
BigJoe's tip: Dentex hit hard and then bulldog for the rocks. Lift firmly in the first few seconds to pull it away from the bottom.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Prized in the Mediterranean: firm, white and sweet. Bake it whole in the oven with potatoes, or grill it with olive oil and lemon.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Big canine teeth and sharp fin spines; use pliers and handle with a glove.
Regulations: Listed as Vulnerable in the Mediterranean by the IUCN. Minimum sizes and daily limits apply in many countries, and marine reserves are closed. Check national rules (for example Croatia's sea license and Italy's registration). Sea fishing rules change by country: the UK, Ireland and France need no sea license, Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Greece sell or require recreational sea licenses or permits, and Italy asks for a free online registration. All have minimum sizes, and marine reserves have no-fishing zones.
Conservation: Big dentex are old and slow-growing. Keep one or two for the table and release the big ones.

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Sources & photo credits