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How to catch Parrot sea perch

Callanthias ruber (Rafinesque, 1810)

About Parrot sea perch fishing

The parrot seaperch is a striking marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Callanthiidae, featuring a slender fusiform body that is predominantly brilliant red with contrasting yellow fins and elongated caudal lobes in larger adults. Growing up to sixty centimetres in total length, this demersal species inhabits the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea, where it is typically found over rocky reefs, muddy ground, and inside submarine caves at depths ranging from fifty to five hundred metres. As a carnivorous hunter, it forms dense shoals and feeds primarily on small pelagic crustaceans and invertebrates. Although rarely targeted commercially, its dazzling appearance and resilience make it an intriguing catch for specialized marine anglers exploring deeper offshore structures.

  • Difficulty

    Medium

  • Average size

    17 cm TL

  • Habitat

    Saltwater

  • Season

    Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter

  • Also known as

    Parrot seaperch

Parrot sea perch

Lunate caudal fin

Deeply forked tail with extended lobes distinguishes this seaperch.

Blue and yellow markings

Distinctive bright blue and yellow stripes ornament the cheek.

Parrot sea perch fishing facts

Characteristics

  • Typical size

    17 cm TL (max 60 cm TL )

  • Typical weight

    0.4 kg (max 2.9 kg )

  • Preferred temperature

    13.1–16.2 °C

  • Depth

    50–500 m

  • Body shape

    Fusiform / Normal

  • Vulnerability score

    34.9

Best hours

  • Dawn

    First light

    Peak

  • Morning

    After sunrise

    Peak

  • Midday

    High sun

    Low

  • Afternoon

    Late day

    Low

  • Dusk

    Last light

    Active

  • Night

    After dark

    Low

When to fish for Parrot sea perch

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 Parrot sea perch

Tips for catching Parrot sea perch

Targeting this deep-water reef dweller requires specialized bottom fishing or vertical light jigging gear capable of reaching rocky contours and drop-offs well beyond fifty metres. Because their diet consists largely of small crustaceans and marine invertebrates, small paternoster rigs baited with fresh saltwater worms or strips of shrimp work best when lowered directly near rocky crevices or cave openings. Presentations must be kept close to the seabed where these fish aggregate in schools. Calm days with stable barometric pressure improve success rates, and morning hours or overcast periods often yield the most active feeding response from fish holding near deep shelf structures.

Other names for Parrot sea perch

Local and alternate names anglers use for Parrot sea perch.

  • Parrot sea perch
  • Parrot seaperch

Best equipment to catch Parrot sea perch

Compare fishing methods for Parrot sea perch — sized kit for each technique.

Note: Typical fish is 0.4 kg Our algorithm will suggest the best equipment for you based on this weight.

Best lures and baits for Parrot sea perch

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

How Parrot sea perch migrates — Bathymetric

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

How Parrot sea perch 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 Parrot sea perch

  • Diet

    Carnivore

  • Hunts

    Dawn · Morning

Where Parrot sea perch lives

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

Habitats
Saltwater
Depth zone
Sublittoral, Bathyal
50–500 m
Water column
Demersal
On or near the bed

Where this species lives

Where to fish for Parrot sea perch

Mapped fishing spots where Parrot sea perch is recorded — open a pin for access and methods.

Uvala Galija

DubrovnikDubrovačko-neretvanska županijaCroatia