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How to catch European hake

Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758)

About European hake fishing

The European hake is a slender marine fish belonging to the family Merlucciidae, featuring a large head, formidable curved teeth, and a striking black lining inside its expansive mouth. Its body is coloured a deep blue-grey along the back, fading to a bright silvery flank and whitish underbelly. Growing up to 140 centimetres in total length and reaching a maximum weight of 15 kilograms, this demersal predator inhabits soft bottoms and shelf edges down to substantial depths. During daylight hours, it stays close to the sea floor before moving higher into the water column at night to hunt pelagic fish and squids. As a batch spawner with an extended reproductive cycle, it supports significant commercial fisheries and is frequently targeted by deep-water sea anglers.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    45 cm TL

  • Market value

    High

  • Habitat

    Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

  • Also known as

    Cornish salmon, Hake, Herring hake

European hake

Terminal mouth

Terminal mouth with prominent sharp teeth helps identify this predatory hake.

Truncate caudal fin

More or less truncate caudal fin shape is characteristic of this species.

Straight forehead

More or less straight forehead profile contributes to the sleek head shape.

Pelvic-fin insertion

Pelvic fin inserted before the origin of the first dorsal fin.

European hake fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    45 cm TL (max 140 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    2.5 kg (max 15 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    6.9–15.4 °C

  • Depth

    18–1,075 m

  • Longevity

    20 years

  • Body shape

    Elongated

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    64.8

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Active

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Low

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Low

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Active

  • Night

    After dark

    Peak

When to fish for European hake

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 European hake

Tips for catching European hake

Targeting European hake requires presenting baits or lures near or directly on the deep sea bed where adults congregate during daylight hours. Heavy boat gear is essential to reach depths ranging from seventy down to several hundred metres, particularly over muddy or rocky shelf structures. As these fish become more active in the water column after dark and ascend to hunt, nocturnal drift fishing with natural fish strips or large squid baits often yields the best results. Anglers should time their sessions around periods of minimal current to keep rigs steady near the bottom, matching their presentation to the natural cephalopod and small fish diet of this formidable marine predator.

Other names for European hake

Local and alternate names anglers use for European hake.

  • European hake
  • Herring hake
  • Hake
  • Cornish salmon

Best equipment to catch European hake

Compare fishing methods for European hake — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 2.5 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for European hake

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

How European hake migrates — Bathymetric

Shifts between shallow and deeper water with the seasons rather than moving along the coast. Change depth before you change venue.

How European hake migrates — Bathymetric 1. Warm months: Feed in shallow water through the warm months. 2. Cold months: Drop into deeper water as it cools.
Shallow water Deep water

1 Warm months

Shallow water

Feed in shallow water through the warm months.

2 Cold months

Deep water

Drop into deeper water as it cools.

Larger adults often stay deeper all year.

Hover or tap a number to read each stage.

Prey and predators of European hake

Prey is what European hake eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

That is how it feeds, and how it is hunted.

Prey

What it eats

Predators

What hunts it

Where European hake lives

Lives on or just above the bottom. Work jigs, bait, and lures along the seabed.

Habitats
Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral, Bathyal
18–1,075 m
Usually 70–400 m
Water column
Demersal
On or near the bed

Where this species lives

Where to fish for European hake

Mapped fishing spots where European hake is recorded — open a pin for access and methods.

Førby Sø

ThistedRegion NordjyllandDenmark

Ría de Ribadesella

Asturias / AsturiesAsturias / AsturiesSpain