Read the article with FishingTheSpot: the monkfish
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See the fishing tripsThe Monkfish
in winter
50 cm
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The Monkfish belongs to the Lophiidae Family. The height, in adults, is between 70 and 200 cm. The weight of large individuals is around 40 kg, with a maximum of 58 kg recorded. The longevity is about twenty years. It breeds in winter. The female can lay millions of eggs at once. It is fished in abundance from December to March.
With its enormous head (it constitutes 60% of the animal's weight), its widely split mouth and highly developed pectoral fins, anglerfish cannot be confused with any other fish. The body has a round section at the level of the tail, flattened towards the head. The first three rays of the dorsal fin are placed very far forward; the first, located in front of the eyes, carries a flap of bifid skin that the animal uses as bait. The skin is smooth, flake-free and slightly viscous. A row of branched appendages, more developed around the head, borders the median part of the body. The gill holes in the highest position are protected by two bony caps inserted under the skin. The teeth are strong, pointed and curved backwards. The general color is a light brown marbled with darker areas, which may vary according to the environment. Despite their large size, anglerfish are quite good at camouflage.
The Monkfish lifestyle
The Monkfish are carnivores that hunt on the lookout. Flattened on the bottom, sometimes slightly silted up or camouflaged in the middle of the algae, it uses the first ray of its dorsal fin like a fishing rod carrying a bait. The huge mouth becomes invisible when closed. The appendages that border it, arranged in a row, make its contours indistinguishable. A fish approaches and the opening is triggered, causing a suction that is difficult to resist. Everything goes through it: fish, crustaceans and even seabirds.
The laying period is at the end of winter, the eggs, agglomerated, form ribbons several meters long, often containing several million eggs. Larvae hatch at the end of May, beginning of June; they then measure 10/12 mm and lead a planktonic life. At 5/6 cm, they reach the bottom. Sexual maturity is reached at around 6/7 years of age for a height of about 70 cm.
The Monkfish habitat
A benthic fish, the monkfish live more generally on soft bottoms between 2 and 1000 meters, or even deeper (catches have been reported at 1800 meters). However, it can also be found in eelgrass beds and on rocky bottoms very close to the shoreline.
From northern Norway to Mauritania, around the British Isles, on the Scandinavian coast, south of Iceland, in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea.
The Monkfish angling
Monkfish are mainly fished at night. It feeds heavily during its breeding season, which occurs in winter. It is therefore during this season that you will catch the most, usually between December and March.
Some people try to catch the monkfish with longlines. However, since this fish does not move low and tends to bury itself in the mud, this technique remains quite complicated. If not a good swimmer, the angler is a hidden hunter. To catch its prey, it shakes a bright appendix in the water and attacks as soon as a fish passes nearby. The only most effective way to hit a monkfish is to ballast a net to the bottom and equip it with bait. Then just let it drift to rake the widest possible area, and you're done! A few individuals can also be caught with trammel nets but this requires a good experience.
