What kind of rockling is this?

Is it a shore rockling or a three bearded rockling?

I'm also testing posting pictures for the first time so if there's nothing here let me know.

Thanks

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Looks like a 3 bearded rockling to me

sure its not a shore...??

shore rockling for certain ,3 bearded are light wit dark spots .

def a shore

all you have to do is ask the local experts!!^^^^ :lol:

whats the main difference between the 2

If you look at the photo above and below a shore rockling is mainly dark colour with small light spots ,you can also get a marbling effect ,but its all based around a dark background .
3 bearded have a mainly light background colour with dark spots ,both fish have 2 beards on the snout and 1 on the chin .

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both have 3 beards,1 on chin and 2 behind top lip.first pic is a three bearded which is light with dark spots,second is a shore which is dark with light spots.

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just got there before me ronald :roll:

cheers.we get them down these parts at 1 mark but never actually took the time to learn to i.d them correctly

the first pic there davy seems to be the ones we get.which would be the rarest

neither of them would be classed as rare but the smaller shore rockling would def be more frequently caught.There`s two other rockling species that can be caught in UK and Irish waters,5 Bearded(not rare) and the 4 Bearded(quite rare,found in deep water) :)

have caught a 5 bearded alrite but it doesnt take a scientist ta recognise them . saw 1 cought on a mack flapper, not certain what type tho

more than likely a 3 beard on a mack flapper, they are fond of conger baits!

ya it was a fair bit of a shock ta see 1 this little fish not much bigger than the bait!! how they manage ta get a 10/0 in their mouths still remains a mystery

Thanks for the info guys, i have had a few rockling and never knew which was which.

I'm still looking to catch my first rockling, i had better get one this year, especially living in the Rockling capital of Europe. :lol:

do the five beard have a regular colour similar to either of the prementioned ones as a rule or do they vary?

any i've caught have been more of a sandy colour ,and they'll not be as big as the three bearded .

Those rockling very similar to bigliam's ling he caught in Waterfoot that time :wink: :)