Dogfish (Greater-spotted) species guide • Sea fish • Easy (4/10)

Dogfish (Greater-spotted) junior fishing guide

Scyliorhinus stellaris

A clear, plain-English guide to dogfish (greater-spotted) for parents, coaches and juniors. See where they live, the best starter tackle, simple bait choices and a three-step plan to help young anglers catch their first one safely.

🎣 View starter tackle setups 📋 Log a Dogfish (Greater-spotted) catch
Junior-first & welfare-aware • 3-step beginner plan • UK venues & seasons
Skill & size • Seasons • Beginner baits

Skill level

Easy (4/10)

Great for coached juniors and confident beginners.

Best time

Spring–Autumn

Pick mild, settled days for junior sessions.

Typical size

5–10 lb common; can grow larger.

Always match hooks, nets & lines to expected fish size.

Dogfish (Greater-spotted)

Beginner baits

Maggots, worms, bread

Keep it simple — small hook baits, little-and-often feeding.

Typical venues: Rough ground, reefs and kelp beds offshore and inshore.
Scroll down for detailed tackle setups, methods and parent-friendly guidance.
Catch your first dogfish (greater-spotted) with confidence

Catch your first Dogfish (Greater-spotted) in 3 steps

A simple, repeatable plan juniors can follow with help from a parent, coach or older angler.

  1. Step 1

    Use rough-ground marks with care

    Bull Huss grow larger than small dogfish and live over rough ground. Junior trips to these marks must be carefully planned for safety.

  2. Step 2

    Heavy traces and strong hooks

    Use heavy mono or wire traces and big hooks with fish or squid baits. Strong tackle avoids long, exhausting fights.

  3. Step 3

    Keep fish low and support fully

    Demonstrate how to support heavier fish over a mat or wet sack, never lifting by the tail alone. Stress catch-and-release for larger Huss.

Tackle setups that work

Designed with juniors and fish welfare in mind. Start with an IDEAL or GOOD setup for easier casting and safe unhooking.

👉 Swipe sideways to view different setups.

Beachcaster

Beginner tip: Teach safe casting with no one behind, and keep juniors away from the waterline in rough conditions.

IDEAL

Rod: 12–13 ft beachcaster or surf rod (4–6 oz rating).

Reel: 6000–8000 size fixed spool reel or medium multiplier.

Line: 15–18 lb mono with 40–60 lb shockleader.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Two-hook flapper or clipped-down rig"
  • "Size 1–2/0 hooks depending on target"
  • "Grip leads in strong tide"]

Extras

  • ["Rod rest"
  • "Headtorch"
  • "Disgorger and long-nose pliers"]

Standard beach / surf setup for flatfish, whiting and general shore fishing.

Surf Rod

Beginner tip: Teach safe casting with no one behind, and keep juniors away from the waterline in rough conditions.

IDEAL

Rod: 12–13 ft beachcaster or surf rod (4–6 oz rating).

Reel: 6000–8000 size fixed spool reel or medium multiplier.

Line: 15–18 lb mono with 40–60 lb shockleader.

Terminal tackle

  • ["Two-hook flapper or clipped-down rig"
  • "Size 1–2/0 hooks depending on target"
  • "Grip leads in strong tide"]

Extras

  • ["Rod rest"
  • "Headtorch"
  • "Disgorger and long-nose pliers"]

Standard beach / surf setup for flatfish, whiting and general shore fishing.

About the Dogfish (Greater-spotted)

Greater-spotted Dogfish, or Bull Huss, are larger relatives of the lesser dogfish with bold spots and a heavier build. They fight harder and need strong tackle.

Junior tip

Target them only with suitable heavy gear and barbless or crushed barbs where possible. Use big fish baits and listen carefully to safety briefings about handling sharks.

Logged a Dogfish (Greater-spotted) recently?

Add a catch report so juniors can see where they’re being caught, which baits work and how your tackle was set up.

Submit a catch report

Want to discover more species? Browse the full species guide.

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