Norwegian record Leopard-spotted goby: 36 g

About Leopard-spotted goby

The leopard-spotted goby (Thorogobius ephippiatus) is one of the larger gobies in Norwegian waters, reaching about 13 cm. It is pale brown or beige with bold reddish to orange spots over the head and body, and the back part of the first dorsal fin carries a dark spot. It lives on steep rock faces and in cracks and holes in rocky ground. The species occurs in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic from Madeira to the British Isles. It was first seen in Norway in the 1980s and has since become more common and spread northwards; it is now known from Rogaland to Trøndelag, and in 2024 a record north of the Arctic Circle was reported. It feeds on small crustaceans and other small animals. Divers and underwater photographers love it, but it has no angling value. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, NCBI, Atlanterhavsparken

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: August

See the species guide

Biggest Leopard-spotted goby in FishComp

25 g (69 % of the record) by Joakim Øvrebø. See the catch

How to register a Norwegian record

1. Norwegian sport-fishing records are registered with Villmarksliv, not with FishComp. Read the rules before you do anything else with the fish.
2. Records are based on weight and approved by a jury. You give the weight and length, where it was caught, the gear you used and any witnesses.
3. Keep your photos and notes from the catch. Logging it in FishComp does not register a record.