Saltwater · Summer and autumn over deep fjord structure

Atlantic Redfish

Sebastes norvegicus

The deep-water golden-red Sebastes of Norwegian fjords and the Barents Sea — a true redfish, often of astonishing age. It grows very slowly, so every fish deserves respect: keep only what you will eat, because fish hauled from the deep rarely survive release due to barotrauma. It is a true Sebastes, unlike Japan's smaller inshore Sebastiscus rockfish.

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Atlantic Redfish — Photo: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Deep-bodied, vivid golden-red to orange-red all over
Large dark eye and a spiny first dorsal fin
Strong bony ridges and spines on the gill cover, including a pointed lower preopercular spine
Large scales and a complete lateral line clearly visible
Young are duller red-brown; big old fish turn a deep glowing red

Habits

Very slow-growing and long-lived — many angled fish are decades old, so handle with care and keep only what you will eat
Deep-caught fish suffer barotrauma: the swim bladder expands on the way up, eyes bulge and the stomach pushes out, and most cannot survive release
Feeds on krill, small fish, squid and shrimp near the bottom and midwater
Moves in loose aggregations over deep structure rather than true tight shoals
Mates and gives birth to live young in late winter and spring

Distribution

Fjords & Coast, Norway · Norway★ Primary

Highlands & Islands, Scotland · ScotlandOccasional

Where to find them

Deep slopes of northern Norwegian fjords
Barents Sea banks out of Tromsø and Finnmark
Deep drop-offs off the Lofoten Islands

Where they live

Deep fjord slopes and offshore banks in 650-1,600 ft (200-500 m)Rocky drop-offs and deep wrecks in the Barents Sea and off northern NorwayCold deep basins of the Norwegian Sea

How to catch them

Baited deep-water paternoster Boat

Rig: Two-hook paternoster with 10/0 hooks and a 16-24 oz lead on a stiff boat outfit, lowered vertically to 200-500 m

Bait/lure: Mackerel chunks on each hook

Key tip: Wind up steadily and keep the fish if barotrauma shows — a pushed-out stomach means it cannot survive release.

Heavy pirk jigging on fjord slopes Boat

Rig: 14-21 oz pirk with a large hook, jigged over deep rocky drop-offs

Bait/lure: Bare or tipped with squid

Key tip: Work it in short lifts off the bottom and stay in contact — bites often come on the drop.

Best baits & lures

Mackerel chunksPirk jigsSquid

Techniques for Atlantic Redfish →

Baseline setup

Rod: Stiff 6-7 ft deep-water boat rod
Line: 30-50 lb braid
Terminal: Heavy pirks and baited paternosters, 10/0 hooks

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 14-18 in (35-45 cm), about 2-4 lb (1-2 kg); large fish to 39 in (100 cm) and 33 lb (15 kg)

On the table

Good to excellent — firm white flakes, the classic Rotbarsch of German fish counters; deep fish are best kept, as most cannot be returned alive.

Similar species

Rockfish (Sebastes spp.)Japanese Sebastiscus rockfish are far smaller, brown-mottled and inshore; Atlantic redfish is a large, uniformly golden-red deep-fjord Sebastes

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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