THE ULTIMATE ANGLING BUCKET LIST

A black goby as it would turn out, taken on a scrap of ragworm nicked on to the smallest hook we could
find, which was probably something like a size four. A fish caught down the face of the wall on the
muddy sand around its base which this species prefers over heavy ground. So it can be done.
Unfortunately, despite catching thirteen species in total, we still failed to win the match, as many of our
fish were ruled in-eligible based on minimum landing sizes which was a bit much. But interesting none
the less.
COMMON GOBY Pomatoschistus microps
Bucket List status – result
As the name suggests, an extremely
abundant round bodied little fish, and
one with a preference for soft
substrates, plus a tolerance of reduced
salinity of the type found around
estuaries where it feeds on small
worms and crustaceans.
Typically goby-like with big lips, large
eyes set into the top of the head,
rounded pectoral fins and tail, and in
this particular case, a very obvious gap
between the two dorsal fins, quite a
long reach from the back of the second
dorsal fin to the start of the tail. Colouration varies between deep grey and sandy fawn, with some
irregular dark spotting and pale saddles across the back.
Breeding males can have up to ten vertical bars on their flanks extending on to the dorsal rays as well
as the dorsal membranes, and may well be darker than at other times of the year.
There may also be a dark spot towards the rear of the first dorsal fin. Instead of bars, the females can
have spots. Both sexes have a dark mark on the upper edge of the base of each pectoral fin.
Found throughout the inshore shallows of all our home waters where I have come across the species at
many locations in shallow sandy bays and inlets, and while fishing with my children, having taken them
on baits from venues as widespread as St. Mary's on the Isles of Scilly and Anglesey. Grows to around
three inches.
ROCK GOBY Gobius paganellus
Bucket List status – result
Quite a thick set round bodied typically goby-like fish with big lips, large eyes set into the top of the
head, and rounded pectoral fins and tail which is found exclusively around the intertidal and low water
regions of rocky stony shores. More so on southern and western coasts than in the east.
For identification purposes, its most important physical feature is the fact that the upper pectoral fin
rays have become divided and separate from their connecting membranes over much of their length.
This fin reaches almost to the origin of the dorsal fin. Has five or six finger-like protrusions from the
nostrils.
252