Norwegian record John Dory: 3.5 kg

About John Dory

The John Dory (Zeus faber) is hard to mistake: its body is very tall and thin, and in the middle of each side sits a large dark spot ringed with pale colour. Its mouth can shoot far forward, and the fish creeps up on prey head-on before sucking it in. It feeds mainly on schooling fish, plus some squid and crustaceans. The species occurs widely in the world's oceans and is common in the Mediterranean and the warmer North Atlantic up to the English Channel. In Norway it is being seen more and more often, especially north to Trøndelag, with single records as far as Troms. It usually lives at 50–150 m, but from about 5 to 400 m. Spawning takes place in late winter and spring. It can reach about 90 cm. John Dory is a prized food fish and is occasionally caught on bait or jigs. Norwegian Red List 2021: Least Concern (LC).

Sources: Artsdatabanken, Store norske leksikon, Wikipedia, Atlanterhavsparken, link.springer.com

• Habitat: Saltvann
• Best month: Juli

See the species guide

Biggest John Dory in FishComp

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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.