Saltwater · Year-round in deep water; taken on deep-drop grounds in cooler months too
Silvery John Dory
Zenopsis conchifer
A thin, mirror-silvery deep-water dory of the Atlantic shelf edge, schooling in small groups at 100-600 m and feeding on fish and squid; in the Gulf and Caribbean it is a rare deep-drop encounter rather than a target.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Extremely thin, deep silvery body — like a silver disc
- A dusky mid-side spot just behind and above the pectoral fin
- Very deep notch between the spiny and soft parts of the dorsal fin
- Large bony bucklers along the bases of the dorsal and anal fins
- Blackish membranes on the spiny dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and tail fins
Habits
- Lives near the bottom or in deep midwater over mud, most common at 200-300 m
- Found in small schools
- Feeds on fishes and squids
- Eggs are pelagic; juveniles differ, often with black body spots
Distribution
Where to find them
- Shelf-edge mud at 200-300 m
- Deep-drop grounds over the upper slope
- Seamount flanks in deep water
Where they live
How to catch them
Deep-drop bottom fishing Boat
Rig: Electric reel, 50-80 lb braid, multi-hook deep-drop rig with 5/0-7/0 circle hooks and 3-5 lb lead
Bait/lure: Squid strips or cut fish
Key tip: Dories patrol just off muddy slope bottom at 200-300 m; fish the rig a crank off the bottom on tilefish grounds and treat any dory as a bonus.
Deep jigging on the slope Boat
Rig: Heavy jigging rod, 200-300 g metal jig on 50 lb braid
Bait/lure: Metal jig (lure)
Key tip: A fish-and-squid feeder: work heavy jigs through deep midwater over the slope where small schools hold; strikes are opportunistic, not a pattern fishery.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Deep-drop or heavy jigging rod
- Line: 50-80 lb braid
- Terminal: 5/0-7/0 circle hooks, 150 lb mono rigs, 3-5 lb weights, 200-300 g jigs
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
7'6" medium-heavy jigging rod
≈ US$110-170
Works 2-6 oz jigs over rock and reef and still has the backbone to lift a halibut off the bottom.
Line · Budget
50 lb braid with 40 lb leader (200 yd)
≈ US$25-40
Thin braid cuts the current so jigs stay vertical; the leader shrugs off rock and teeth.
Terminal · Budget
Leadhead jigs, swimbaits and two-hook bottom rigs
≈ US$25-40
A leadhead with a swimbait tail is the universal bottom-fish catcher, from rockfish to cod to flounder.
Picks are never paid placements. Prices are guides; price links are coming soon and none is an affiliate link yet.
Typical size
Common 20-50 cm; maximum 80 cm TL and 3.2 kg
On the table
Good eating like other dories where landed, but rarely available; an occasional deep-drop prize.
Similar species
Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
Plan a trip for Silvery John Dory
Build today's plan⚠ Heads-up: Silvery John Dory doesn't occur around Vancouver, BC (or is very rare there), so it's not a sensible local target. Your plan stays in Vancouver, BC and is built around the fish that actually live there.