Andy Rees Species Blog: Wrasse

If you can find a good lump of submerged rock, then there is a fair chance that there will be a wrasse living somewhere close by. UK waters are home to 7 different wrasse species of which four (Ballan, Cuckoo, Corkwing and Goldsinney) are the most common. For anglers it is the ballan and cuckoo which are most often caught and although found all around our shores, both species tend to occur in greater numbers on western coasts. A 4 or 5lb ballan wrasse is the target of many a specimen angler, and whilst these are not so common, there are plenty of fish up to 2 lb waiting to be caught for both shore and boat anglers. The territory of these fish is dominated by rocks and kelp, and so to reduce tackle losses, there is a need for simple but strong terminal rigs coupled with a rod and reel combination capable of retrieving end gear quickly up and out of the danger zone. 

Of the seven wrasse species that are found in UK waters the two that you are most likely to encounter are the Ballan (Labrus bergylta) and Cuckoo (Labrus mixtus).

Wrasse ID: The general body shape is the same in all of the wrasse with a compressed body and relatively large head, a single dorsal fin runs the length of the body and whilst the mouth is small it contains an impressive set of strong teeth and is surrounded by prominent fleshy lips. The ballan wrasse is the largest of our native wrasse reaching a maximum of about 60 cm, although the more usual size is 30 – 40 cm. Colouration varies very much with age and habitat and can be anything from dark green to reddish brown and is usually mottled with numerous white spots. There is no difference between sexes in the external appearance of the ballan wrasse, in contrast the male and female cuckoo wrasse appear quite different. Females are orange to red in colour with three dark spots on the back towards the tail, while mature males have a vivid blue head which is marbled with dark blue or purple lines which extend along the body, the rest of which is yellow to orange. Cuckoos are generally smaller than the ballan wrasse and reach a maximum size of about 35cm. 

Ballan Wrasse

Cuckoo Wrasse

Lifestyle: Cuckoo and ballan wrasse both show a peculiar trait in that all of the young fish hatch as females. They grow slowly and become sexually mature at about 6 years of age when they are 16-18cm. After a number of years spawning as females a number of fish change sex into functional males, in the ballan wrasse there is no obvious external difference, but it is at this stage that the newly turned male cuckoo wrasse develop their blue colouration. Courtship begins between April and August and eggs are laid either into a nest constructed from seaweed and small stones or often directly onto a bare piece of rock. The male protects the eggs until they hatch after a few weeks, when the larval fish drift away with the rest of the plankton before eventually settling in shallow water where they spend their nursery years feeding on the larvae of other fish and crustaceans.

Location: Wrasse are found all around the UK in water depths up to about 30 metres. As I said earlier, if you can find a submerged rock then you can probably find a wrasse. This also holds for piers, jetties and kelp beds, although wrasse are not fond of silty water which probably explains their relative scarcity in some of the coastal waters of the southern North Sea. These are long lived (up to 20 years) territorial fish which may occupy the same area for much of their lifetime. Wrasse are not known in this country for their eating qualities and so when you catch them, treat them with the respect that they deserve and return them quickly and gently into the sea. As with all live fish, use a sling or net when weighing them and if at all possible when match fishing keep fish alive in an aerated bucket of seawater until the weigh-in.  

Facts

Ballan Wrasse (Labrus bergylta)        

• Reddish brown to dark green
• Single long dorsal fin
• Thick fleshy lips
• Shore record    9lb 1oz 0dr, 1998, Portland, Dorset
• Boat record     9lb 7oz 12dr, 1999, Jersey, C.I.

Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus)

• Male
• Pointed head
• Blue head, yellow-orange flanks       
• Female
• Pointed head, Red–orange, black & white spots near tail
• Shore record    1lb 12oz 9dr, 1999, Herm, C.I.
• Boat record     2lb 7oz 12dr, 1998, Dungeness, Kent

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