Whiting
Merlangius merlangus · Cod and relatives
Shoaling autumn and winter fish that bites freely after dark.
How to recognise it
- Three dorsal fins and two anal fins, like cod, but slimmer and silvery.
- A small dark spot at the base of the pectoral fin.
- No barbel on the chin in adults, or only a tiny one.
When and where
- Best months
- Sep–Feb
- Found over
- beach, pier, estuary channel
- Baits
- fish strip, lugworm, squid
September to February, best October to December.
Sources
- FishBase: Merlangius merlangus
- Cefas, Catchwise: A Survey of Marine Recreational Fishing Activity in England and Wales (2026)
- General UK sea-angling guidance (to be verified)
This profile is a draft: we're still checking it against published studies.