European hake · fishing, baits & best season

Overview

Widespread deep-water predator, important commercial species. Hunts at night rising towards the surface.

Identification

Body

Sleek and elongated body, with a large head and wide mouth.

Colouration

Silvery gray with a lighter belly and a dark lateral line.

Sexual dimorphism

Absent or not pronounced

Growth

Rapid growth in juvenile stages, slows down thereafter.

Taxonomy

Family

Merlucciidae

Order

Gadiformes

Class

Actinopterygii

Related species

Habitat & distribution

Environment

Coast, Open sea, Deep sea

Preferred bottom

Mud, Rock, Gravel

Geographic distribution

Found in the northeastern Atlantic, from Morocco to Norway and Iceland, including the Mediterranean Sea.

Micro-habitat

Seeks shelter near the seabed during the day and moves to shallower waters at night to hunt.

Prefers areas with muddy or rocky substrates that provide shelter and food.

Presence by sea area

Diet

Primary prey

small fish, squid, cuttlefish

Secondary prey

shrimp, crustaceans, fish larvae

Occasional prey

octopus, jellyfish

Feeding behaviour

An active predator, hunts at night by moving up to the surface and using surprise to catch prey.

Natural predators

tunas, dogfish, swordfish, humans (fishing)

Its diet varies with the temporary availability of prey species.

Behaviour

Activity

nocturnal

Social behaviour

solitary

Aggressiveness

medium

Migration

Resident in some areas, migratory in others depending on prey availability.

Seasonal behaviour

Changes depth based on season to take advantage of optimal temperatures and prey availability.

Juveniles

Lives in shallower waters where there are fewer predators and abundant food.

Adults

Inhabits deeper waters and broadens its range of prey.

Reproduction

Spawning season

April, May, June

Spawning depth

Between 100 and 300 meters

Eggs

Pelagic, transparent, small eggs.

Larval stage

Pelagic larvae living near the surface before descending to deeper waters.

Sexual maturity

Varies between 3 and 4 years

When to catch European hake

This species shows peak fishing activity in spring, autumn and winter, when the productivity index (FPI) reaches its highest values.

Ideal conditions

Where to catch it

Best spots

Fishing techniques

Recommended

Other applicable

Recommended baits

Baits by pressure

How to really catch it

The European hake is a bottom predator with a streamlined body, large head, and a wide mouth lined with sharp teeth, built to seize prey in the dark. By day it stays close to the seabed, but when the light fades and the water above fills with small prey, it becomes a fish you truly need to understand.

🐟 Good to know

One notable biological trait of hake is how its habitat changes as it grows: larvae are pelagic and live near the surface, juveniles occupy shallower water, and adults move deeper while broadening their prey range. It is a species that changes depth and ecological role over the course of its life.

🌊 Where & when

You find it over muddy, rocky, or gravel bottoms, along coasts, offshore, and in deep water, often on underwater slopes, near submarine canyons, and in current-swept areas, from 30 to 1000 meters. It is most approachable during peak months in winter, spring, and autumn; at night it rises to hunt, while from April to June it spawns between 100 and 300 meters.

🎣 How to really catch it

For hake, the most concrete approach is a solid, clean deep bottom setup with a medium-heavy rod, 20-30 lb braid, a 0.40-0.60 fluorocarbon leader, and 2/0 circle hooks, weighted with 80-200 g depending on depth and current. Fish natural baits such as small fish, squid, cuttlefish, or shrimp low in the water, in contact with the bottom or just above it, especially along mud, slopes, and edges washed by moving water.

💡 The detail that makes the difference

The practical edge is to think vertically, but at the right time: by day hake holds tight to the bottom, and by night it rises to feed, so it makes sense to search close to the seabed in daylight and a little higher after sunset. Keeping the bait in the layer it actually uses to hunt is more defensible than chasing arbitrary distances or speeds.

Catch & handling tips

Fight

Puts up a fight with quick, sudden movements when hooked.

Handling

Use gloves to avoid injuries from sharp teeth.

Release

Ensure the fish is vital before releasing it and use a barbless hook when possible.

Curiosities & culture

Record catches

Maximum documented size: up to about 140 cm and 15 kg (source: FishBase). There is no official global IGFA All-Tackle record; the largest documented catches are around 13 kg.

In the kitchen

Highly valued in cooking, especially in dishes like brodetto and grilled hake.

Cultural notes

Often mentioned in fishermen's tales for its cunning and hunting skill.

Historical notes

Fishing for this species has been practiced since ancient times, documented as far back as medieval manuscripts.

Fishing guides for this species