Lesser weever
Echiichthys vipera · Small fish and rockpool species
Also called weever, weever fish
A small, venomous fish that lies buried in sand with only its eyes and black dorsal fin showing. It is common around the UK and comes into very shallow water in summer.[1]
How to recognise it
- Small and thickset with a large upturned mouth, eyes on top of the head and a black first dorsal fin.[1]
- Usually 8 to 12 cm, up to about 20 cm; the greater weever is bigger and lives in deeper water.[1]
- Venomous spines on the black first dorsal fin and the gill covers. Never swing one into your hand to unhook it; the spines can pierce skin.[1]
- Do not touch the spines with bare hands. Remove spines from skin with tweezers and soak the sting in hot water for at least 30 minutes.[2]
When and where
- Season
- Jun–Aug[1]
- Found over
- sand, mud, shingle[1]
- Baits
- mackerel feathers, daylights, ragworm, prawn, mackerel strip[1]
- Light
- Most active after sunset, when it comes out of the sand to feed.[1]
Summer is when it comes closest to shore and is most likely to sting; in winter it retreats to slightly deeper water.[1]
Sources
These notes are a draft: we gathered them from the sources above and are still checking them. We don't work out best times for this fish yet. The size rules come from the same checked byelaws as every other fish.