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🌊 Wrasse
A colourful, rock-and-reef-dwelling species (most commonly ballan wrasse in UK waters) popular with lure and float anglers fishing tight to structure over rough, weedy ground.
Identification
Deep-bodied with thick lips and strong, protruding teeth suited to crushing crabs and shellfish. Colouring is highly variable, from mottled green-brown to more vivid orange-red, often matching the surrounding rock and weed.
UK habitat
Found around rocky, weedy coastlines right around the UK, particularly the South West, Wales and Scotland, holding tight to kelp beds, gullies and rock structure rather than open sand or mud.