The common smoothhound is a grey-brown shark with a pale belly and no white spots. Kestrel Warrior lists smoothhound among its catches over wrecks, though it does not split them by species. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the common smoothhound
The common smoothhound is a grey-brown shark with a pale belly and no white spots. Its second dorsal fin is larger than a tope's, which helps when you are trying to tell the two apart.
It lives in the eastern Atlantic, from the British Isles southwards. The depth range runs from 5 to 625 metres, though it is usually found in 5 to 50 metres. It is usually up to 150 centimetres long and can reach 200 centimetres, with fish of 100 to 120 centimetres being common.
The tricky part is that it is often confused with the starry smoothhound. The starry has white spots, but they can fade, so a fish without spots is not always a common smoothhound. If you are not sure, take a clear photograph and look again on shore.
The IUCN assessment of 2021 lists the species as Endangered. That is worth knowing before you decide what to do with a fish, and a quick, careful release is the sensible course. Kestrel Warrior lists smoothhound among its catches over wrecks, though it does not split them by species, and the Shark Trust reports starry smoothhounds from Sussex.
On the boat
Kestrel Warrior lists smoothhound among its catches over wrecks, but it does not split the species, so we cannot say how often the common smoothhound is the one on the line. The record gives no months or methods for it, so we will not guess. Photograph any unclear fish, because it may well be a starry smoothhound. Ask the crew what is running.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 28 lb 2 oz (12.757 kg)
- Where
- Off Minehead, Bristol Channel
- When
- 1998
- Angler
- A Bowering
Confirmed British boat-caught record: A Bowering, 28 lb 2 oz (12.757 kg), taken off Minehead, Bristol Channel, in 1998. The official list names this single smoothhound entry Mustelus mustelus. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer claims are by length only.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
Endangered on the IUCN Red List (2021 assessment). Often confused with the starry smoothhound, whose spots can fade, so photograph unclear fish. No landing size is given in the record. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
The common smoothhound is often confused with the starry smoothhound, because the starry's white spots can fade. A clear photograph is the best way to settle it.
Questions about the common smoothhound
What is the British boat-caught record for common smoothhound?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: A Bowering, 28 lb 2 oz (12.757 kg), taken off Minehead, Bristol Channel, in 1998. The official list names this single smoothhound entry Mustelus mustelus. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024, and newer claims are by length only.
Is common smoothhound caught off the Sussex coast?
Yes. Kestrel Warrior lists smoothhound among its catches over wrecks, though it does not split them by species.
When is the best time to catch common smoothhound?
Our sources do not give months for the common smoothhound, for Sussex or for the rest of Britain.
How big does a common smoothhound get?
Usually up to 150 cm, can reach 200 cm. Commonly 100 to 120 cm. No weight given in the source opened.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Common smooth-hound: en.wikipedia.org
- BRFC Sea Fish Records June 2026: anglingtrust.net
- Kestrel Warrior: Fish species Sussex: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
Picture: Fernando Losada Rodriguez, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
