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How to catch Agone

Alosa agone (Scopoli, 1786)

About Agone fishing

The agone is a small pelagic freshwater fish belonging to the family Alosidae, native to deep subalpine lakes in Italy and Switzerland. It features a slender fusiform body with a bluish-green back, brilliant silver sides marked by dark shoulder spots, and a distinctive ventral keel. Typically growing to around twenty-five centimetres, this schooling species inhabits deep open water basins for most of the year before undertaking a shallow water migration towards shorelines and lake surfaces during the summer months to spawn over gravelly substrates at night. Feeding primarily on planktonic crustaceans and small invertebrates, it has historically held immense cultural and culinary value for regional fisheries.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    25 cm

  • Market value

    Low

  • Habitat

    Freshwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Mediterranean shad, Twaite shad

Agone

Straight dorsal profile

An almost straight dorsal profile distinguishes this species from Mediterranean congeners.

Shoulder spot row

A distinct row of dark spots runs horizontally along the upper shoulder.

Terminal mouth

The moderately large terminal mouth helps identify this pelagic clupeid.

Agone fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    25 cm (max 42.6 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0.8 kg )

  • Longevity

    8 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    49.3

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Low

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Active

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Low

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Peak

  • Night

    After dark

    Peak

When to fish for Agone

01
January
02
February
03
March
04
April
05
May
06
June
07
July
08
August
09
September
10 Now
October
11
November
12
December

How to catch Agone

Tips for catching Agone

Anglers target this pelagic shoaling species primarily during its warm-weather nearshore movement using multi-hook rigs suspended beneath light floats or by casting micro-spoons and small artificial lures that mimic tiny shimmering prey. Success relies heavily on timing the approach to shallow areas during late spring and summer months when schools congregate near the surface, especially during low-light conditions or calm evening hours. Presentations should remain delicate and carefully depth-controlled to entice the cautious feeding habits of fish suspended in the upper water column close to structural drop-offs or piers.

Other names for Agone

Local and alternate names anglers use for Agone.

  • Mediterranean shad
  • Twaite shad
  • Agone

Best equipment to catch Agone

Compare fishing methods for Agone — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.2 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Agone

Ranked lures and natural baits from every method, best first.

Where Agone spends the year — Non-migratory

Stays in the same waters year-round. Look for it on the same grounds rather than timing a run.

Where Agone spends the year — Non-migratory 1. Eggs: Laid on the home grounds. 2. Juveniles: Grow up close by. 3. Adults: Keep to a small home range. 4. Spawners: Spawn on the same grounds, with only short moves.
Same water all year

1 Eggs

Same water all year

Laid on the home grounds.

2 Juveniles

Same water all year

Grow up close by.

3 Adults

Same water all year

Keep to a small home range.

4 Spawners

Same water all year

Spawn on the same grounds, with only short moves.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Diet and behavior of Agone

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Hunts

    Dusk · Night

Where Agone lives

Open-water fish in the main water column, away from the bottom.

Habitats
Freshwater
Depth zone
Depth not recorded
Water column
Open water
Does not use the seabed

Where this species lives