The Red Gurnard is a small bodied gurnard with a sharp pointed snout. The Red has a large head and long slender body. It is one of the smallest of the European Gurnard family.
The lower three rays of the pectoral fins are separate, finger-like rays that contain sensory organs, that the gurnard uses to feel for food in sand and sediment. The Red Gurnard has a very bright red upper side colouring, changing slightly pink, to white at the underside.
The Red Gurnard is wide spread though out the UK with many north Wales ports catching a fair amount, Holyhead being no exception with any specimens at the 1lb mark.
Surviving on a variety of marine life, the red is often taken by anglers on small scratch rigs baited with mackerel strips.
2 up 1 down, or 3 up scratch rigs with size 2 to 4 hooks work well, with small luminous or red attractor beads.
