The lemon sole is not named for its colour. Our sources do not record it off the Sussex coast. British boat record: confirmed.
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About the lemon sole
The lemon sole is not named for its colour. It is an oval, left-eyed flatfish with slimy reddish-brown skin speckled orange and yellow, a small mouth and a curved lateral line. It lives on stony, mixed and sandy ground, in deeper, colder water than Dover sole, and it is rarely caught from the shore.
Most fish are 20 to 30 cm, and the largest reach about 2 ft and 7 lb. The small mouth matters to anglers. A shore guide suggests small hooks, size 8 or smaller, with worm baits on flapping rigs over sand or mud.
The record gives no months for it, either for Britain or for Sussex, and it holds no Sussex notes, so we cannot say when it is most likely to turn up off Brighton. We would rather say that than guess.
The official British boat record is 3 lb 4 oz 14 dr, from Teignmouth in Devon in 2006. The minimum size is 25 cm in ICES areas 7d and 7e, so measure before you keep one, and check the current rules.
On the boat
The record gives no months and no Sussex notes for this species, so we cannot say when or where off Sussex it is most likely to be caught. It lives on stony, mixed and sandy ground in deeper, colder water than Dover sole. Because of the small mouth, a shore guide suggests small hooks, size 8 or smaller, with worm baits on flapping rigs over sand or mud.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 3 lb 4 oz 14 dr
- Where
- Teignmouth, Devon
- When
- 2006
- Angler
- Garry Newcombe
Confirmed British boat-caught record: Garry Newcombe, 3 lb 4 oz 14 dr, Teignmouth, Devon, 2006. The figures come from the official British Record Fish Committee listing of June 2026, and the place matches British Sea Fishing's boat record page. The list gives the year, not a full date.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
Minimum size is 25 cm in ICES areas 7d and 7e on the gov.uk MCRS list. The Marine Conservation Society rates it 3 or 4 on its 1 to 5 scale, as reported by Wikipedia. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
Despite the name, the skin is not lemon-coloured. It is slimy and reddish-brown, speckled orange and yellow, and the fish is left-eyed.
Questions about the lemon sole
What is the British boat-caught record for lemon sole?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: Garry Newcombe, 3 lb 4 oz 14 dr, Teignmouth, Devon, 2006. The figures come from the official British Record Fish Committee listing of June 2026, and the place matches British Sea Fishing's boat record page. The list gives the year, not a full date.
Is lemon sole caught off the Sussex coast?
Not according to the sources behind this guide.
When is the best time to catch lemon sole?
Our sources do not give months for the lemon sole, for Sussex or for the rest of Britain.
How big does a lemon sole get?
Up to 2 ft and 7 lb; most are 20-30 cm. Rarely caught from the shore.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Lemon sole: en.wikipedia.org
- British Sea Fishing: Lemon sole: britishseafishing.co.uk
- BRFC sea fish listings June 2026: anglingtrust.net
- British Sea Fishing: UK boat caught records: britishseafishing.co.uk
- Gov.uk MCRS: gov.uk
Picture: Hans Hillewaert, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
