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How to catch Lesser weever

Echiichthys vipera (Cuvier, 1829)

About Lesser weever fishing

The lesser weever is a small demersal marine fish belonging to the family Trachinidae, featuring an elongated greyish-brown body with silvery-white flanks and a distinct black first dorsal fin. Growing up to twenty-seven centimetres in length though usually much smaller, it inhabits shallow coastal waters down to fifty metres across sandy, muddy, and gravelly substrates. Benthic in habit, this species typically rests flat on the sea floor, often completely buried beneath the sediment with only its eyes and venomous dorsal spine exposed to ambush passing macrofauna. While not actively pursued as a primary game fish, it is frequently encountered by beachgoers and shore anglers operating along European coastal zones.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    10 cm TL

  • Habitat

    Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

  • Also known as

    Lesser weever fish, Sting-fish, Weever

Lesser weever

Caudal shape

More or less truncate caudal fin shape helps identify this species.

Pelvic-fin position

Abdominal pelvic fins situated well back under the throat region.

Black dorsal spine

Prominent jet-black spinous dorsal fin holds dangerous venom.

Lesser weever fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    10 cm TL (max 27.7 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.2 kg (max 0.2 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    7.3–16.1 °C

  • Depth

    3–50 m

  • Body shape

    Elongated

  • Vulnerability score

    34.2

When to fish for Lesser weever

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 Lesser weever

Tips for catching Lesser weever

Anglers rarely target this venomous benthic species intentionally, but mini-species hunters and surfcasters occasionally hook them while fishing clean sandy shorelines with bottom rigs. Because these fish lie completely hidden beneath the sand in very shallow littoral zones, presentation requires small hooks baited with fragments of marine worms fished directly on the sea floor. Extreme care must be taken when handling any catch due to the potent venom glands located on the operculum and the coal-black first dorsal spine. Unhooking should always be performed using long forceps while wearing heavy protective gloves, and any accidental stings require immediate immersion of the affected limb in hot water.

Other names for Lesser weever

Local and alternate names anglers use for Lesser weever.

  • Lesser weever
  • Weever
  • Sting-fish
  • Lesser weever fish

Best equipment to catch Lesser weever

Compare fishing methods for Lesser weever — 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 Lesser weever

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

How Lesser weever migrates — Bathymetric

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

How Lesser weever 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.

Diet and behavior of Lesser weever

  • Diet

    Top predator

  • Feeds by

    Hunts animals

  • Main prey

    Baitfish

Prey and predators of Lesser weever

Prey is what Lesser weever eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

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

Prey

What it eats

Baitfish

  • Loligo vulgaris juv./adults

Predators

What hunts it

Fish

  • Chelidonichthys gurnardus juv./adults
  • Merlangius merlangus juv./adults
  • Raja montagui juv./adults

Where Lesser weever lives

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

Habitats
Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral
Continental shelf · 3–50 m
Water column
Demersal
On or near the bed

Where this species lives

Where to fish for Lesser weever

Mapped fishing spots where Lesser weever is recorded — open a pin for access and methods.

Barranco do Vale da Telha

AljezurFaroPortugal