SEA ANGLER
UK &IRELAND SPECIALIST SPECIES HUNTING
This month Dave Lewis explains where and how to target this unusual little species of flatfish
The topknot, Zeugopterus punctatus, is a small left-sided flatfish. It has a broad body relative to its length which is a mottled brown and white colour, featuring a dark bar through the eyes, light, wide fins all the way round its body, and a very small tail. Topknot grow to a maximum length of about 25cm. The current British record is held by a fish that weighed just 383g, a little under 13.5oz, which was caught in Guernsey in 1998.
Topknot are found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean including the North Sea, Baltic Sea, English Channel and Bay of Biscay, ranging as far south as Portugal. A desirable tick for any species hunter topknot are common around much of the British Isles, though rarely caught due to their location and diminutive size. The truth of the matter is, though, these are one species that, given a little time and research, are really quite catchable.
HABITAT
The most consistent venues for topknot are harbour walls, piers and breakwaters. The fish like to ‘stick’ themselves to the side of the stonework or even the underside of a rock, where they then lie motionless. Provided you can get close enough to the waterline and that the water is clear, if you spend the time looking often you will spot a fish. Catching it is then a simple matter of very carefully and quietly manoeuvering a suitable bait close to its head. Avoid fishing areas that dry out completely over low water; these are extremely unlikely to prove successful. The most productive areas are likely those that retain a good depth even over the low water period of large spring tides.
