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How to catch Incognito goby

Gobius incognitus Kovačić & Šanda, 2016

About Incognito goby fishing

The incognito goby is a small benthic marine fish belonging to the family Gobiidae, featuring an elongated body and sophisticated mottled camouflage. Reaching typical adult lengths around eight centimetres, this species inhabits shallow coastal waters down to twelve metres, thriving across sandy patches, rocky crevices, and seagrass meadows where it often maintains a close symbiotic association with sea anemones. It feeds opportunistically on small aquatic invertebrates and microalgae found along the seafloor. While rarely targeted by mainstream anglers due to its diminutive size, it holds considerable interest for specialist species hunters exploring European inshore ecosystems.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    8 cm

  • Habitat

    Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Unknown goby

Incognito goby

Irregular cheek dots

Pigment dots on cheek are irregularly scattered or feature additional rows across middle.

Pectoral base mark

Upper mark on pectoral base reaches downwards to 8th-10th rays.

Opercular scales

Opercle features 10-16 scales in adults, separating it from similar species.

Incognito goby fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    8 cm (max 9.5 cm SL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0 kg )

  • Depth

    0–12 m

  • Body shape

    Elongated

  • Vulnerability score

    22.6

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Low

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Active

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Peak

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Low

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Incognito goby

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 Incognito goby

Tips for catching Incognito goby

Targeting this diminutive coastal dweller requires ultra-light tackle deployed around shallow rocky structures, tide pools, or mixed sandy bottoms in the Mediterranean and Atlantic margins. Anglers should use micro-hooks tipped with tiny pieces of natural sea worms or small shrimp fragments fished directly on the seabed where these fish shelter. Because of their sedentary habits and close association with protective cover like rocks and anemones, careful and quiet presentation is essential. Calm daylight hours during the warmer months offer the most productive conditions for spotting and catching specimens in clear coastal waters.

Other names for Incognito goby

Local and alternate names anglers use for Incognito goby.

  • Incognito goby
  • Unknown goby

Best equipment to catch Incognito goby

Compare fishing methods for Incognito goby — 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 Incognito goby

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

Where Incognito goby 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 Incognito goby 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 Incognito goby

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Hunts

    Morning · Afternoon

  • Feeds over

    Soft bottom · Hard bottom

Where Incognito goby lives

Lives near the bottom but swims in the water just above it. Cover the lower column, not only the mud.

Habitats
Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral
Continental shelf · 0–12 m
Water column
Benthopelagic
Just above the bed

Where this species lives