Garfish fishing

Belone belone

About Garfish

A long, beaked fish with green bones. Arrives on the coast in May with the lilac bloom. It follows the herring in along shallow shores and takes a strip of fish or a slim spoon fished just under the surface. The narrow bony beak makes hooking difficult, so give it a moment before tightening, or fish a small piece of bait on a soft rig. The green colour in the bones is harmless and the meat is good.

Typical size: Usually 50-80 cm.

Season, time and habitat

Best season

May-Jun

Best time

Day

Habitat

Coast

Season by month

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Darker cell = more active that month. Based on the species' usual yearly rhythm.

Lures and baits that work

Sabiki rig Fish a string of small bright hooks below a weight. Jig it up and down through shoals of herring, mackerel or garfish. Check price on Amazon

Spinner Reel just fast enough to keep the blade spinning from the off. Work it along weed edges, rocks and current seams, shallow or deep. Check price on Amazon

Fly Present the fly on a fly line, dry on top or wet below. Mend the line, stay in contact and strike on the light take. Check price on Amazon

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Waters where Garfish bites

Öresund - Helsingborg Skåne Strömstad skärgård Västra Götaland Kalmarsund - Kalmar Kalmar

Open a water for live weather, water temperature and today's odds.

Find waters where Garfish is biting now

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Common questions

When is the best time to catch Garfish?

Garfish fishing is usually best around May-Jun. The best windows in the day are usually day.

What lures and baits work for Garfish?

Effective methods for Garfish include Sabiki rig, Spinner and Fly.

Where can you catch Garfish?

Garfish is most often found in coast. Napp shows the nearest waters and the live odds on the bite right now.