The witch is an oval, right-eyed flatfish, light brown to greenish-grey with darker fins, a small head, rough skin and a straight lateral line. Our sources do not record it off the Sussex coast. British boat record: none listed.
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About the witch
The witch is an oval, right-eyed flatfish, light brown to greenish-grey with darker fins, a small head, rough skin and a straight lateral line. It is a cold-water fish of deep water over sand and mud, found down to over 1,000 metres. British Sea Fishing gives its size as up to 2 ft and 5 lb. It is taken commercially by bottom trawling, but a rod-and-line catch is very rare. So the witch is one of those fish that most anglers will read about rather than catch. Our record does not mark it as a Sussex species. There is no boat record for it either: the official list shows the boat weight record as unclaimed, with a qualifying weight of 12 oz. If you do catch something that looks like one, check the markings, the rough skin and the straight lateral line. We would rather tell you plainly that it is rare than promise you a chance of one. Think of it as a fish for the curious, and for anyone who likes to know what lives in the deep mud below the boat.
On the boat
The witch is a very rare rod-and-line catch, according to British Sea Fishing, and it is taken commercially by bottom trawling. It lives in deep water over sand and mud. Our record gives no months for Britain or Sussex and no angling method, so we cannot say how or when to target one from a boat.
British boat-caught record
None listed
No British boat-caught record is listed for this species. The official June 2026 British Record Fish Committee listing shows the boat weight record as unclaimed, with a qualifying weight of 12 oz. The shore record is 1 lb 2 oz 13 dr, caught in 1967 by T J Barathy at Colwyn Bay.
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 witch on the gov.uk list. Our record gives no protection status or eating advice. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
British Sea Fishing says the witch grows to about 2 ft and 5 lb, and lives in deep water down to over 1,000 metres. It is a very rare catch on rod and line.
Questions about the witch
What is the British boat-caught record for witch?
No British boat-caught record is listed for this species. The official June 2026 British Record Fish Committee listing shows the boat weight record as unclaimed, with a qualifying weight of 12 oz. The shore record is 1 lb 2 oz 13 dr, caught in 1967 by T J Barathy at Colwyn Bay.
Is witch caught off the Sussex coast?
Not according to the sources behind this guide.
When is the best time to catch witch?
Our sources do not give months for the witch, for Sussex or for the rest of Britain.
How big does a witch get?
Up to 2 ft and 5 lb (British Sea Fishing).
Sources
- British Sea Fishing: Witch: britishseafishing.co.uk
- BRFC sea fish listings June 2026: anglingtrust.net
Picture: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (photographer Warren E. Savary), file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
