Saltwater · Year-round; spring and fall runs fish best

Pollock

Pollachius virens

The cod's faster cousin — pollock school over the same North Atlantic wrecks and ledges but fight harder and feed up in the water, a favourite on Gulf of Maine party boats.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Pollock — Photo: Dag Endresen, CC0 — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

NO chin barbel — the quickest separator from cod
Lower jaw projects forward beyond the upper jaw
Dark green-black back with a straight, pale lateral line running the full body
Deeply forked tail and three dorsal fins like a cod, but a slimmer, faster build
Look-alike: haddock have a black shoulder blotch pollock never show

Habits

Schools in mid-water over wrecks and ledges, often well off the bottom — unlike cod
Chases herring, sand eels and krill; a harder fighter than cod on the same ground
Young 'harbour pollock' swarm around wharves and rocky points in summer
Bigger fish hold deep in winter and push shallower to feed in spring

Distribution

Halifax, NS · Atlantic Canada★ Primary

Boston, MA · New England★ Primary

Québec City, QC · QuebecCommon

St. John's, NL · Newfoundland & LabradorCommon

Norfolk, VA · Mid-AtlanticOccasional

Where to find them

Wrecks and deep ledges off Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine
Rocky headlands and wharves for summer harbour pollock
Tide rips over offshore humps where bait stacks up

Where they live

Wrecks and offshore ledgesMid-water over hard bottomWharves and rocky points

How to catch them

Jigging the water column

Rig: 8-14 oz diamond jig on 40 lb braid, short mono leader

Bait/lure: Bare jig; add a tube teaser above for finicky fish

Key tip: Count the jig down and work different depths — pollock suspend, so the school may sit 30 ft off bottom.

Harbour and shore casting

Rig: Medium spinning rod, small spoons and soft-plastic shads

Bait/lure: Metal spoons, sandeel imitations

Key tip: Fish the first of the flood around points and pier ends; summer pollock hunt right against the rocks.

Best baits & lures

Metal jigs and diamond jigs worked mid-waterSquid or clam on a bottom rigSmall spoons and soft plastics for harbour fish

Techniques Academy →

Baseline setup

Rod: 7' medium-heavy boat rod; medium spinning rod from shore
Line: 30-40 lb braid
Terminal: Diamond jigs, spoons, teaser tubes, 30-40 lb leaders

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 2-8 lb; large specimens 15-25 lb

On the table

Very good — firmer and sweeter than cod; excellent fresh, and the traditional fish for imitation crab after processing.

Similar species

Atlantic CodCod have a chin barbel and a curved pale lateral line; pollock have no barbel and a projecting lower jaw

HaddockHaddock carry a black blotch above the pectoral fin and a dark lateral line; pollock are blotch-free with a pale line

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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