Meagre (corvina, maigre)

A huge silver-bronze drum with a long body, large scales, a big mouth with a yellow-orange inside, and a lateral line that runs into the tail. The fins are reddish-brown. It makes a loud drumming sound you can hear from a boat.

10–40 lb.

Over 6 ft and over 100 lb.

Mullet, sardines, sand eels, squid, cuttlefish, shrimp and crabs.

Schools in estuaries and along beaches in late spring and summer to spawn, then moves offshore. Feeds most at night and in murky water.

Found from France, Spain & Portugal (Azores, Madeira & Canaries), Italy & Malta, Greece & the Adriatic, Turkey, Cyprus & the Eastern Mediterranean, Morocco & West Africa and United Kingdom & Ireland. Estuaries, beaches and coastal reefs from the Bay of Biscay to Senegal and through the Mediterranean; famous spots include the Gironde in France, the Guadalquivir and Cádiz in Spain, the Tagus in Portugal and the Dakhla lagoon in Morocco.

Estuaries, beaches and coastal reefs from the Bay of Biscay to Senegal and through the Mediterranean; famous spots include the Gironde in France, the Guadalquivir and Cádiz in Spain, the Tagus in Portugal and the Dakhla lagoon in Morocco.

6–80 ft.

On or near the bottom in channels and off beaches; mid-water around reefs.

Late spring and summer (May–August) when they gather to spawn; winter on the Moroccan and Saharan coast.

Dusk and night.

Big spring tides and the change of tide in estuaries.

Murky water after rough weather often brings them close to the beach.

Live mullet or sardine, whole squid or cuttlefish, and big shrimp.

Big soft swimbaits and shads, metal jigs and deep-diving minnows.

Heavy surf rod or a 7 ft medium-heavy boat rod with a 6000–8000 reel.

4/0–8/0 circle or J hooks.

40–60 lb braid.

60–80 lb fluorocarbon.

At night, anchor in estuary channels or fish from the beach with live mullet or squid on the bottom; listen for drumming schools. Boat anglers also jig big soft lures over reefs and wrecks.

Big meagre pick up a bait gently. Give line, let the fish swim off, then come tight — and be ready for a long first run.

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.

Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.

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

Excellent: firm, white, mild flakes. Great baked, grilled in steaks, in ceviche (when very fresh) or in fish stews.

Sharp gill covers and spiny fins; use a big landing net or a gaff only on fish you are keeping.

Minimum sizes apply in most countries (they differ a lot from place to place), with seasonal limits in some estuaries. Check national and local rules. Sea fishing rules change by country: the UK, Ireland and France need no sea license, Spain, Portugal, Croatia and Greece sell or require recreational sea licenses or permits, and Italy asks for a free online registration. All have minimum sizes, and marine reserves have no-fishing zones.

Spawning schools are easy to overfish. Keep one for the table and release the big breeding fish.