Skip to content

Search

Popular pages

How to catch Morocco dentex

Dentex maroccanus Valenciennes, 1830

About Morocco dentex fishing

The Morocco dentex is a graceful marine teleost belonging to the family Sparidae, characterized by a tall, fusiform body with a distinctive small black spot at the pectoral fin base and a deeply forked caudal fin. Growing up to moderate sizes, this demersal predator inhabits coastal salt waters across a wide depth range, showing a strong preference for hard seabeds, rubble, and gravel grounds. It relies primarily on benthic crustaceans, small fish, and mollusks for sustenance, hunting close to the seabed. While supporting commercial trawl fisheries, its active feeding behavior and presence over structured bottoms also draw the interest of recreational anglers exploring deeper marine zones.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    25 cm TL

  • Market value

    Medium

  • Habitat

    Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn

Morocco dentex

Caudal shape

Deeply forked caudal fin helps distinguish this species.

Pelvic-fin position

Abdominal placement of the pelvic fins aids identification.

Morocco dentex fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    25 cm TL (max 45 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.3 kg (max 1.4 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    10–16.8 °C

  • Depth

    20–500 m

  • Longevity

    10 years

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Commercial?

  • Vulnerability score

    52.5

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Active

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Peak

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Active

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Morocco dentex

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 Morocco dentex

Tips for catching Morocco dentex

To target this demersal sparid successfully, anglers should focus their efforts over deep gravel beds, rubble fields, and sloping rocky contours where the fish congregates to forage. Presentation close to the seabed using natural strips of squid, small crustaceans, or fresh fish pieces yields the most consistent takes during daylight hours. A sensitive rod tip is essential to detect subtle nibbles from browsing fish before they commit to the hook. Calm sea states and periods of stable weather during the warmer months typically provide the most favourable conditions for productive boat angling.

Other names for Morocco dentex

Local and alternate names anglers use for Morocco dentex.

  • Morocco dentex

Best equipment to catch Morocco dentex

Compare fishing methods for Morocco dentex — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.3 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Morocco dentex

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

How Morocco dentex migrates — Bathymetric

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

How Morocco dentex 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 Morocco dentex

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Feeds by

    Hunts animals

  • Hunts

    Morning · Afternoon

  • Feeds over

    Hard bottom

Prey and predators of Morocco dentex

Prey is what Morocco dentex eats. Predators are the animals that eat it.

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

Prey

What it eats

Other prey

  • unspecified crustaceans juv./adults
  • unspecified finfishes juv./adults
  • unspecified mollusks juv./adults

Where Morocco dentex lives

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

Habitats
Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral, Bathyal
20–500 m
Water column
Demersal
On or near the bed

Where this species lives

Where to fish for Morocco dentex

Mapped fishing spots where Morocco dentex is recorded — open a pin for access and methods.

Barranco de Gran Valle

Las PalmasCanariasSpain

La Bahía

Las PalmasCanariasSpain

Oued Sghir

Ksar SghirFahs-AnjraMorocco