Cunner

Season in Maine

Maine DMR: a coastal fish living mostly within 5 to 6 miles of shore, most often around piers, rock jetties and eelgrass. SICB abstract (Travitz et al.): cunner enter torpor in winter and muscle performance drops at 10 C (50 F) and below. Months placed on the cold-water season; no catch-by-month data. (Our inference)

Season by region

Where to find them

Around piers, rock jetties, breakwaters and eelgrass beds close to shore (Maine DMR).

Tight to pilings, rocks, jetties and eelgrass.

What to look for

Small wrasse, mottled reddish to bluish brown, pointed snout, one long dorsal fin, a very deep tail base and a small mouth (Maine DMR). Looks like a small tautog but slimmer with a pointed snout.

Bait

Bits of clam, Crab, Sea worms, Canned corn kernels. A very small hook close to the rocks or pilings (Maine DMR: the small mouth makes a very small hook a must).

Leader

Light line and a very small hook.

Common mistakes

• Hooks too big for the small mouth
• Fishing away from the structure they live on

Landing

Swing it up; they are small.

Handling

No hazards noted in the sources read.

Keep or release

Maine DMR: tough skin but tasty meat, a popular pan fish. Often a bait stealer when fishing for tautog or scup.

Recipes for cunner

Typical: 6 to 10 in (Maine DMR). Large: Rarely over 1 ft (Maine DMR).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the ME limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Maine Department of Marine Resources before you keep a fish.

Sources

• Maine DMR species sheet: Cunner (Official source)
• Travitz et al., Seasonal changes in pectoral fin muscle histology in temperate labrid fishes (SICB meeting abstract) (Official source)

All the fish of Maine