Saltwater · Year-round in estuaries; best in winter, especially under the ice from December to February

Atlantic Tomcod

Microgadus tomcod

The Atlantic tomcod — poulamon in Quebec — is a small inshore cod of St. Lawrence and Atlantic Canadian estuaries, famous as the centre of the Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade ice-fishing village, where a whole town of ice huts fishes it through the frozen river each winter.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Atlantic Tomcod — Photo: agbelliveau, CC0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Small, slender cod rarely over about 30 cm, with three dorsal fins and two anal fins
Single small chin barbel and a slightly protruding upper jaw
Olive-brown to greenish back with dark mottling and a pale belly
Second pelvic-fin ray drawn out into a long filament
Rounded tail fin, unlike the forked tail of many other small fishes

Habits

Lives in shallow coastal water, estuaries and the lower reaches of tidal rivers
Moves upriver in late autumn and winter to spawn under or near the ice
Feeds on small shrimp, worms, tiny fish and other invertebrates
Tolerates a wide range of salinity and very cold water
Often abundant where it occurs, forming loose winter aggregations

Distribution

Québec City, QC · Quebec★ Primary

Saint John, NB · New BrunswickCommon

Halifax, NS · Nova ScotiaCommon

Charlottetown, PE · Prince Edward IslandCommon

St. John's, NL · Newfoundland & LabradorCommon

Portland, ME · MaineCommon

Boston, MA · New EnglandCommon

New York, NY · New YorkCommon

Where to find them

The frozen Sainte-Anne River at Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade in winter
St. Lawrence tidal tributaries and estuary shores in Quebec
Brackish river mouths and wharves around New Brunswick and Nova Scotia

Where they live

Tidal rivers and estuaries of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic CanadaShallow brackish bays and river mouthsFrozen rivers fished through the ice in winter

How to catch them

Ice fishing with baited micro-hooks Shore

Rig: Short ice rod or hand line, tiny hooks with small pieces of shrimp or worm, fished just off bottom through the ice

Bait/lure: Shrimp pieces, worm bits

Key tip: At Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, fish the tidal channels and keep baits small — tomcod have small mouths.

Wharf and shore bait fishing Shore

Rig: Light spinning rod, small sinker and size 6-10 hooks baited with clam or shrimp, fished on the bottom in estuaries

Bait/lure: Clam, shrimp, worm

Key tip: Fish a rising tide at river mouths and move if bites stop — schools drift with the current.

Best baits & lures

Small pieces of shrimp or clamBits of worm on tiny hooksSmall jigs tipped with bait under the ice

Techniques for Atlantic Tomcod →

Baseline setup

Rod: Light spinning rod or short ice rod
Line: 6-10 lb mono
Terminal: Tiny hooks, small sinkers and micro jigs

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 6-10 in; large fish to about 14 in

On the table

Good — mild, soft white flesh; a traditional winter pan fish in Quebec, best eaten fresh.

Similar species

Pacific TomcodPacific tomcod is the Pacific-coast counterpart; Atlantic tomcod occurs only on the Atlantic and St. Lawrence coasts

Atlantic CodAtlantic cod grows far larger and lives in deeper offshore water; tomcod stays small and inshore in estuaries

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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