The dab is a small, right-eyed flatfish, sandy brown with faint orange spots and dark flecks. Kestrel Warrior reports dabs of around 1.4 lb on its inshore trips. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the dab
The dab is a small, right-eyed flatfish, sandy brown with faint orange spots and dark flecks. The skin is rough, and the lateral line curves over the pectoral fin. It lives on sand, mud and some shingle, down to about 100 m, and it is especially common in the North Sea.
Size is modest. British Sea Fishing says up to about 18 in and 3 lb, and shore fish are usually well under 1 lb. Wikipedia gives a typical length of 25 to 40 cm.
Dabs can be caught all year, and they spawn in spring as the sea warms. They take small hooks, sizes 2 to 6, with small baits such as ragworm, lugworm, mackerel or squid. The shore guide says stale baits work well.
On the Sussex coast, Kestrel Warrior reports dabs of around 1.4 lb on its inshore trips. That is a good fish by dab standards.
On the boat
Dabs take small hooks, sizes 2 to 6, baited with ragworm, lugworm, mackerel or squid. They can be caught all year, though the record has no set months. Kestrel Warrior reports dabs of around 1.4 lb on its inshore trips. The sources do not give Sussex months or grounds, so we cannot say more than that.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 2 lb 12 oz 4 dr
- Where
- Gairloch, Wester Ross, Scotland
- When
- 1975
- Angler
- R Islip
Confirmed British boat-caught record: R Islip, 2 lb 12 oz 4 dr, at Gairloch, Wester Ross, Scotland, in 1975. This is the official British Record Fish Committee listing of June 2026, so it is a confirmed record, not a claim. The list gives the year only, not the full date.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
There is no national minimum size for dab on the gov.uk list. British Sea Fishing quotes 20 cm. Local IFCA byelaws may apply. The record gives no protected status or eating advice, so none is claimed here. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
The lateral line of a dab curves over the pectoral fin, a detail worth checking when you are sorting small flatfish. British Sea Fishing also notes that stale baits work well.
Questions about the dab
What is the British boat-caught record for dab?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: R Islip, 2 lb 12 oz 4 dr, at Gairloch, Wester Ross, Scotland, in 1975. This is the official British Record Fish Committee listing of June 2026, so it is a confirmed record, not a claim. The list gives the year only, not the full date.
Is dab caught off the Sussex coast?
Yes. Kestrel Warrior reports dabs of around 1.4 lb on its inshore trips.
When is the best time to catch dab?
Around Britain: Can be caught year-round; spawns in spring as the sea warms (shore guide, no set months given). Our sources give no months for Sussex.
How big does a dab get?
Up to about 18 in and 3 lb per British Sea Fishing; shore fish usually well under 1 lb. Wikipedia: typically 25-40 cm.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Common dab: en.wikipedia.org
- British Sea Fishing: Dab: britishseafishing.co.uk
- BRFC sea fish listings June 2026: anglingtrust.net
Picture: Hans Hillewaert, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
