Leerfish (garrick, leervis)

A big, deep-bodied jack-family fish with a silver body, dark gray-brown back, and a wavy, S-shaped lateral line that dips down behind the pectoral fin. Short, separate spines in front of the dorsal fin and a deeply forked dark-edged tail.

8–30 lb.

About 6½ ft (200 cm) and about 110 lb (50 kg).

Fish — mullet, shad, sardines and other small fish.

A powerful coastal predator that chases mullet along beaches, rocky points and into estuaries, often in the surf zone and right at the surface. Migrates north along South Africa's coast in winter and back south in summer.

Found from Southern Africa, Gulf of Guinea & Central Africa, Morocco & West Africa, Spain & Portugal (Azores, Madeira & Canaries), France, Italy & Malta, Greece & the Adriatic and Turkey, Cyprus & the Eastern Mediterranean. The eastern Atlantic from the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean south along West Africa to Angola, Namibia and South Africa, and up the east coast to about Maputo Bay. Juveniles use estuaries.

The eastern Atlantic from the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean south along West Africa to Angola, Namibia and South Africa, and up the east coast to about Maputo Bay. Juveniles use estuaries.

Surface to about 160 ft.

Surface to 15 ft in the surf, estuary mouths and around rocky points.

South Africa: summer in the Western and Eastern Cape (about November to April); winter in KwaZulu-Natal with the sardine run. Mediterranean: late summer and autumn. West Africa and Angola: much of the year.

Early morning and late afternoon.

Pushing tide into estuaries and the first of the outgoing at the mouth.

Clear water and calm to moderate surf.

Live mullet is the classic garrick bait, swum on a float or freelined.

Surface poppers, stickbaits, swimming plugs and big soft plastics; mullet-pattern flies.

9–11 ft spinning rod for the surf and rocks, or a 7 ft medium-heavy rod from boats; 9–10 weight fly rod.

3/0–6/0 single or circle hooks for live bait; strong trebles or singles on plugs.

20–30 lb mono or 30–50 lb braid.

40–60 lb fluorocarbon.

Swim a live mullet in an estuary mouth or along a beach gully and let the garrick take it; give it time to turn the bait before setting. With lures, cast poppers along the backline at dawn.

When a garrick picks up your live mullet, it often runs a few yards and stops to turn it — wait for the second run to strike.

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.

Good eating when fresh.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

Good eating when bled and iced; the meat is firm and white to pinkish — grilled or smoked.

Sharp dorsal spines in front of the fin. Watch the swell when fishing from rocks.

South Africa: 2 per person per day, 70 cm (28 in) minimum, and no sale of recreational catches. In Europe and West Africa, local size limits and rules apply. Rules are set by each country and state, and many have size or bag limits for this fish — check the local regulations where you fish.

Big garrick are prized sport fish; many anglers release them.