Pollock Pollachius virens

Linnaeus, 1758

GADIDAE FAMILY
Also called coalfish, Boston bluefish, green cod, blisterback, saithe, coley

Found on both sides of the Atlantic, from Greenland and Labrador to Virginia on the west side, and on the east, from Iceland to northern Spain, including the Bay of Biscay, the English Channel, and western Baltic and North Sea.

It is said to be the most active member of the cod family Gadidae. Though it occurs in shallower waters than either the cod or haddock, it is generally a deep or midwater fish occurring in depths of up to 100 fathoms. It will sometimes chase bait fish to the surface and smaller individuals are often seen milling about at the surface in large, tightly packed schools. In the western Atlantic south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, off the U.S. east coast, pollock can be taken from depths of 25 fathoms to as little as 4 fathoms. North of Cape Cod where most of the fish are taken, they have even been caught by surf fishermen.

They can be distinguished from other members of the cod family by three features. Its lower jaw projects beyond the upper jaw, its tail is forked, and its lateral line is quite straight, not arching above the pectoral fins. Young pollock have cod like barbels on the chin, but these are small and usually disappear with age. The back varies from olive green to greenish brown. The flanks are a lighter yellowish green or gray.

Its diet consists of smaller pelagic fishes, sand eels and various crustaceans. Fishing methods include bait fishing or jigging with shrimp, herring, squid, clams, worms, or jigs, trolling or casting with spoons, tube lures, spinners, plugs, or flies. It makes strong, powerful runs and occasionally leaps and shakes. The flesh is of good quality and is commercially important.

Cod, Atlantic Gadus morhua

Linnaeus, 1758

GADIDAE FAMILY
Also called codfish, codling

Occurs in subarctic and cool temperate waters of the North Atlantic from Greenland to North Carolina, including the Hudson Strait, and from Novaya Zemlya, in the former U.S.S.R., to the northern reaches of the Bay of Biscay, including the Baltic and North seas and Iceland. The cod can be found in depths of up to 200 fathoms and prefers rough bottoms composed of sand and rock or of shells. It is migratory though the extent of its migration varies among stocks.

The cod can be distinguished from other members of its family by the large barbel on the chin and the arch in the lateral line. Like many other members of its family they have three separate dorsal fins and two separate anal fins, none of which contain any spines. The back and sides are highly variable in color (ranging from brownish or sandy to gray, yellow, reddish, greenish, or any combination), and mottled with numerous lighter spots. The belly is white, the lateral line is pale, and all the fins are dark.

Largely omnivorous, they feed on herring, sprat, capelin, sand eels, Irish moss, etc. Many unusual items have also been found in the stomachs of adult cod, including an oil can, a rubber doll, finger rings, clothing, and some very rare deep sea shells that were previously unknown to science.

Most cod taken by anglers are caught by bait fishing on the bottom from a drifting or anchored boat, but many are taken by jigging and deep trolling as well. Cod have large mouths, so hook size may vary, but the bait need not be large—a good sized ocean clam will do for almost any size cod. Other good baits include strip baits of squid, fish, crabs, sand eels, and capelin. Artificial lures such as chrome diamond jigs, spinners, bucktails, spoons, and shiny metal squids may also be used.

The largest cod known to have been caught weighed 211 lb 8 oz (95.90 kg) and was taken in May of 1895 off the coast of Massachusetts. It was over 6 ft (1.8 m) long. Possibly due to relentless fishing pressure, the average size of cod today is only 4 15 lb (2 7 kg) and specimens weighing over 60 lb (27 kg) are unusual. It would be difficult to overstate the cod's value as a food fish

Burbot Lota lota

Linnaeus, 1758

GADIDAE FAMILY
Also called cusk, eel pout, ling, lawyer

Widely distributed around the world above 40?N. The burbot is common throughout Canada, the northern U.S.A., and Europe within this range, with the notable exceptions of Scotland and Ireland, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the west coast of Norway, extreme western British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and the Atlantic Islands. It commonly occurs in deep, cold waters (up to 116 fathoms, almost 700 feet), and is one of the few fishes that spawn in midwinter under the ice.

This is an unusually distinctive fish with its long, almost eel like body; single, slender, cod like barbel under the chin; rounded paddle like tail; large rounded pectoral fins; small, short first dorsal fin, and long second dorsal fin. The anal fin starts near the middle of the body and runs all the way back to the tail. The body is yellow, light brown, or tan with a mottled appearance. Some individuals, noticeably adults from deep lakes in the far north, may be entirely dark brown or black.

It is most frequently caught incidentally by anglers who are ice fishing for lake trout. While it is both a good sportfish and a good quality food fish, it is not generally popular

Cod, Pacific Gadus macrocephalus

Tilesius, 1810

GADIDAE FAMILY
Also called cod, gray cod, true cod

Occurs along the U.S. Pacific coast from Santa Monica, California to northwestern Alaska, and in Asia from the Chukchi Sea to the Yellow Sea and Lushun (Port Arthur), China. It is a common species off the U.S. northwest coast (Oregon, Washington and Alaska) and is most abundant at spawning time (winter and early spring) in coastal waters.

The Pacific cod is usually caught in waters deeper than 60 ft (18.3 m) up to 300 fathoms (550 m). It is a slightly smaller, but close relative of the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Both are members of the true cod family (Gadidae) having three separate and distinct dorsal fins, two anal fins, and a single barbel under the chin. All the fins are soft rayed and the chin barbel is at least as long as the diameter of the eye. The scales are small and cycloid. Coloration ranges from gray to brown dorsally, lightening on the sides and belly. There are numerous brown spots on the sides and back. All the fins are dusky and the unpaired fins are edged with white on their outer margins (especially obvious on the caudal and anal fins).

Reported to weigh at least 40 lb (18.1 kg) with a length of 3 ft 9 in (114 cm) the average size is considerably smaller.

An excellent food fish and a good sport fish, the Pacific cod is usually taken by anglers using fish or cut bait

Pollack, European Pollachius pollachius

Linnaeus, 1758

GADIDAE FAMILY
Also called billet, lythe, black jack

It is strictly a European species, occurring in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway to Spain and Portugal, including the English Channel, the North Sea, Iceland, and more rarely the northern coast of the western Mediterranean. It is mainly an in shore species found near rocky coasts and over rocky bottoms. Though a bottom feeder it may also be found swimming in shoals in midwaters.

It is a member of the cod family Gadidae and can be distinguished from similar looking species in its own family by a combination of features. Its lower jaw projects beyond the upper jaw, its tail is concave, its lateral line is dark greenish brown and arches sharply above the pectoral fins, and the chin lacks barbels. Coloration of this species is usually dark brown or olive dorsally. The sides of the fish change rather abruptly to a paler, yellowish color. Sometimes dark yellow or orange spots or stripes are apparent on the upper flanks.

It is a good sport fish and a strong fighter. It is in the words of one author “a crash dive artist par excellence” and is difficult to stop before it reaches sanctuary. Its diet includes sand eels, sprats, herring, smaller cod like fish, wrasses, rocklings, blennies, squid, worms and large crustaceans. Bait fishing, casting, jigging or trolling are all successful fishing methods. Baits and lures include diamond jigs, squid, herring, clams, worms, smaller cod species, crabs, shrimp, and prawns, spoons, tub lures, spinners, plugs and flies. They are an excellent table fish