Species › Europe, UK & Ireland · Saltwater › Plaice

Saltwater

Plaice

Pleuronectes platessa · European plaice, orange-spot flatfish

Water temp
46–59°F
Peak season
Apr–Jun
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
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Plaice (Campagne IBTS 2010 - Prélèvement d'otolithes d'une plie (Pleuronectes platessa) (Ifremer 00782-89372 - 49413).jpg)

Photo: Olivier Dugornay (IFREMER, Pôle Images, Centre Bretagne - ZI de la Pointe du Dia · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Plaice are smooth-skinned, right-eyed flatfish with a row of bony knobs behind the eyes and unmistakable orange spots on a brown back, found from Norway and Iceland to the Mediterranean, with the North Sea, Irish Sea and Channel the heart of the fishery. They lie on clean sand and shell grit in 10–100 ft of water, moving inshore from April after offshore winter spawning and feeding on worms, shellfish and shrimp. They are a favorite of shore and small-boat anglers for their willingness to take a bait on light gear and their fine eating.

Typical size1–2 lb (0.5–0.9 kg); 12–16 in
Trophy4 lb+ from the shore; 6 lb+ from a boat
Table fareExcellent — delicate white flesh, a European favorite

Where & when

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Plaice return thin from spawning in March and feed up through April–June; the Channel and Irish Sea fish best in late spring, Scandinavian grounds a month later.

Shambles Bank, Weymouth, United KingdomFamous Channel plaice bank; charter boats in springSkerries Bank, Dartmouth, United KingdomShallow sand bank with big early-season plaiceØresund (Öresund), DenmarkSound between Denmark and Sweden with reliable boat plaice

How to catch

Drifting a flowing traceDrift over a sand bank with a long 4–6 ft trace, a weight that just holds bottom and a hook dressed with colored beads, a spoon blade and a worm-and-squid cocktail. Let the bait bounce along; when a fish nibbles, give it time before lifting into it.
Shore ledgering with beadsFrom a beach or pier, cast a two-hook flapper rig with bright beads and sequins above size 1–2 hooks baited with ragworm and a sliver of squid. Retrieve a yard every few minutes to drag the bait across the sand and trigger a take.

Gear

Rod12–13' beachcaster rated 4–6 oz, or 7–8' 12 lb-class boat rod
ReelSmall multiplier or 6000 spinning
Line15–20 lb mono or 20–30 lb braid; 15 lb trace

Lures

bead-and-sequin attractor rigssmall flatfish spoonsscented soft-plastic worms

Baits

ragwormlugwormsquid striprazor clampeeler crab

Regulations

No license is needed for sea angling in the UK and Ireland, but EU and national minimum landing sizes for plaice apply to anglers, and some countries set bag limits. Rules vary by country, so check national marine agencies.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best bait for plaice?

Ragworm tipped with a thin strip of squid is the standard, with lugworm, razor clam and peeler crab close behind. Plaice are visual feeders, so dress the trace with bright orange, yellow or green beads and a small spoon blade above the hook; the attractors matter nearly as much as the bait itself.

Bite forecast — Plaice

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Plaice.

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