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Finally revealed: the fish that Tinder users find sexiest

Get more right-swipes by hitting the ocean

Finally revealed: the fish that Tinder users find sexiest
08 March 2016

Fishing isn't always thought of as the sexiest of pastimes. The "line" in "online dating" isn't a fishing one, and people are more likely to say "We met on the net" than "We met because he was holding a net". But fisherfolk need love too.

A new survey carried out by angling app Fishbrain has found that, of men whose Tinder profile pictures show them holding fish, certain species of fish correspond with an increased amount of right-swipes. We're not saying that clutching the right type of fish and grinning will make you the sexiest man within a 100-mile radius, but we're also not NOT saying that...

The study took place in Florida, where a surprisingly high percentage (22%) of men aged 18-35 who were active on Tinder showed themselves holding a fish in their profile picture. These pictures were then shown to 1,000 sorority members. 54% of them said they'd rather a man wasn't holding a fish in his profile picture, so the most important conclusion you can actually draw from this is: don't hold a fish in your Tinder profile picture. 

If you're a fish-clutching enthusiast, though, and just feel like you photograph better with a beast from the deep in your hands, the 46% of women who didn't find turbot a turn-off, who weren't finished by the fins, who weren't out on the trout, offered their opinions on the pictures, leading to a statistical analysis of the sexiest fish. Well, the least unsexy fish.

The percentage of women who would swipe right for a gentleman holding different species of fish were...

  • Great Northern Tilefish: 21%
  • Sailfish: 18%
  • African Pompano: 16%
  • Red Grouper: 12%
  • King Mackerel: 9%
  • Amber Jack: 8%
  • American Red Snapper: 8%
  • Hog Fish: 5%
  • Barracuda: 3%
  • Juvenile Common Carp: <1%

For the record, here is a Great Northern Tilefish.

And here's a common carp:

In conclusion, again, don't hold a fish in your Tinder profile picture.