Saltwater · Year-round in deep water; May to September most accessible on Gulf of Maine party boats
Cusk
Brosme brosme
A solitary, eel-tailed cod relative of deep northern ledges — in US waters it sits at the southern edge of its range, and it is just as much a Canadian Maritimes fish. Do not confuse it with the freshwater burbot, its cod-family cousin and namesake in looks; the cusk is purely marine.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Single long dorsal fin running the full back, edged in black with a white margin
- Single long anal fin joined around a rounded, eel-like tail
- One blunt chin barbel on a broad, flattened head
- Mottled brown, reddish or grey colour with a pale belly
- Thick, muscular front body tapering strongly toward the tail
Habits
- Solitary and slow-moving, holding tight to rough bottom and ledges
- Feeds on crabs, molluscs, starfish and small fish picked from the bottom
- Stays in cold deep water year-round and rarely schools
- Spawns in spring and early summer over offshore banks
- Mostly taken as valued bycatch on cod and haddock party-boat trips
Distribution
Where to find them
- Jeffreys Ledge and Cashes Ledge deep edges off Maine
- Gulf of Maine mud basins and boulder bottom from party boats
- Deep rough bottom east of New England ports
Where they live
How to catch them
Deep-drop rigs over ledges and mud basins Boat
Rig: Heavy bottom rig with 5/0-7/0 hooks and 12-20 oz of lead over Gulf of Maine ledges and mud at 200-600 ft (60-180 m)
Bait/lure: Clam pieces or squid strips
Key tip: Give a hooked cusk steady pressure — it bulldogs for the bottom and will wedge into rough ground if you let it run.
Cod and haddock trips (valued bycatch) Boat
Rig: Standard groundfish bottom rig with clam baits fished on cod and haddock party-boat grounds
Bait/lure: Fresh clam
Key tip: Fish the roughest patches on the ground — cusk favour ledges and boulders that cod anglers often drift past.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Heavy 6.5-7.5 ft boat rod
- Line: 40-65 lb braid with a mono leader
- Terminal: Bottom rigs, 5/0-7/0 hooks, 12-20 oz sinkers
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 18-26 in (46-66 cm), 5-10 lb (2.3-4.5 kg); large fish to about 39 in (99 cm) and 30 lb (13.6 kg)
On the table
Excellent — firm, white, sweet flesh, one of the best-eating fish on a groundfish trip; skin it before cooking.
Similar species
Red HakeRed hake has two dorsal fins, thread-like split pelvic fins and a pale barbel; cusk has one single long dorsal edged black-and-white and one blunt barbel
BurbotBurbot is the freshwater cod cousin, mottled yellow-brown with a long anal fin in lakes and rivers; cusk is a marine fish of deep salt water with a black-edged, white-margined dorsalRegulations 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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