Cod (Atlantic Cod)
Fish
A heavy-bodied fish with mottled olive-brown-to-sandy skin, a pale lateral line, and a distinctive barbel (whisker) under the chin used to feel for food on the seabed.
Facts
- The classic UK winter shore fish — most of the season's biggest catches come in cold, coloured water after a blow.
- The chin barbel is packed with taste receptors, letting cod find crabs and worms buried in sand or mud.
- Historically the backbone of UK sea fisheries; wild stocks are now far more tightly managed than a generation ago.
UK fishing rules
Minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) is 35cm. There's no blanket UK-wide recreational bag limit for shore anglers, but always check current IFCA byelaws in your area, especially around the North Sea where stocks are more sensitive.
Where to catch Cod (Atlantic Cod) (60 marks)
| Mark | Region | Season | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Beach | Scotland | Nov–Feb | Fish or worm bait fished hard on the bottom, best when bigger cod move close inshore |
| Aldeburgh Beach | East | Winter | Bait fished after dark |
| Amble Harbour | North East | Oct–Feb | Peeler crab or ragworm fished hard on the bottom, especially in rough seas |
| Arbroath Harbour & Cliffs | Scotland | Oct–Mar | Bait fished (lug/mussel/mackerel strip) from the cliff ledges at Whiting Ness/Auchmithie over low water in winter. |
| Ardglass (Golf Course Rocks) | N. Ireland | Autumn–Winter | Bottom fished bait over the rough ground |
| Ardrossan Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Bottom-fished lugworm or mackerel strip from the back wall; typical Clyde fish run around 3lb. |
| Beadnell Harbour | North East | Oct–Feb | Bottom fished worm/crab from the rock marks |
| Blyth South Harbour | North East | Oct–Feb | Bottom fished peeler crab/lugworm off the pier end, best with a good sea running |
| Boscastle Harbour | South West | Nov–Feb | Bait fished over rough ground from the walls once the water cools. |
| Broadstairs Viking Bay | South East | Nov-Jan | Bigger fish baits after dark in cold snaps |
| Caister-on-Sea Beach | East | Winter, rough sea | Bait fished on the open beach |
| Cardiff Bay Barrage | Wales | Nov–Feb | leger tackle fished at night around the white pole and pink hut areas |
| Cley-next-the-Sea Beach | East | Autumn–winter | Bait fished hard on the bottom |
| Cromer Pier | East | Nov–Feb | Lugworm and squid fished hard on the bottom around the pier legs in winter, especially after a blow. |
| Dunbar Harbour & East Beach | Scotland | May onwards | Peeler crab fished close to shore as fish come in to feed on the crab run. |
| Dungeness | South East | Oct–Feb | Big baits (squid/lug cocktail) on a 2-hook clipped-down rig, cast to distance after dark |
| Eastbourne Seafront | South East | Oct–Feb | Lug/squid cocktail cast from the beach after dark |
| Eyemouth Harbour & Gunsgreen Point | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Fished from rock marks south of the harbour, reached via the golf-course footpath |
| Felixstowe (Landguard) | East | Nov–Feb | Ragworm — the standout local bait — fished into darkness |
| Filey Brigg | North East | Sep–Mar (best), also summer | Fish the gullies and kelp-filled holes on the low-water scaurs with crab or worm bait; double-figure fish possible. |
| Fisherrow Harbour, Musselburgh | Scotland | Autumn–Winter | Bait fished from Fisherrow harbour wall. |
| Fishguard | Wales | Nov–Feb | bait fished hard on the bottom through the winter |
| Folkestone Mole & Copt Point | South East | Oct–Feb | Lug/squid cocktail cast beyond the groynes after dark |
| Fraserburgh Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Mackerel or squid bait fished hard on the bottom off the harbour wall |
| Girvan Harbour | Scotland | Nov–Feb | Bottom-fished lugworm or mackerel strip through winter. |
| Gourdon Harbour | Scotland | Year-round, best in rough weather | Big bait fished hard on the bottom from the harbour at high tide. |
| Great Yarmouth | East | Nov–Mar | Lugworm and ragworm on the bottom, especially after a blow |
| Hartlepool Headland | North East | Nov–Mar | Lugworm or peeler crab fished hard on the bottom, best after a north-easterly blow |
| Hastings Stade | South East | Oct–Feb | Lug/squid cocktail after dark |
| Helmsdale Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Bait fished from the harbour arms into deeper water |
| John o' Groats Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Lugworm or mussel cocktail fished into the deeper channel on a flowing tide |
| Kirkcaldy Esplanade & Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Bait fished over the rougher ground east towards Wemyss. |
| Largs Pier & Shingle Point | Scotland | Nov–Feb | Lugworm or mackerel strip fished hard on the bottom in the colder months. |
| Lossiemouth East Beach | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Bait (worm cocktail) cast beyond the surf line on a rising tide |
| Lowestoft South Beach | East | Oct–Jan | Lugworm or mackerel strip, best on the big spring tides |
| Marsden Bay | North East | Sep–Feb | Bottom fished worm/peeler cocktails from the rock platforms, doubles taken most winters |
| Montrose Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Bait fish lug or mussel hard on the bottom close to the harbour walls on the ebb. |
| Mundesley Beach | East | Autumn–winter | Bait fished in the gullies between sandbanks |
| Nairn Beach | Scotland | Oct–Feb | Bigger baits fished further out on the Moray Firth's cod runs |
| Nell's Point (Barry Island) | Wales | Nov–Feb | Single hook rig with a big lugworm/squid cocktail cast into the tidal current at low water on the ebb, especially on tides over 12m |
| Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | North East | Oct–Feb | Bottom fished worm/crab off the rock marks at Downovers and Church Point |
| Orford Quay | East | Winter | Bait fished from the quay or riverbank where permitted |
| Penarth Pier | Wales | Oct–Feb (pier closed to fishing Jun–Aug) | Bottom-fished lug or squid cocktail over the muddy Bristol Channel bottom in winter. |
| Porthcawl Breakwater | Wales | Nov–Feb | Pennell rig with lugworm/squid cocktail cast beyond the rough ground on a big tide |
| Redcar Esplanade & Scars | North East | Oct–Mar | Worm and crab baits fished hard on the bottom over the Scars, best at night |
| Roker Pier | North East | Oct–Mar (best), smaller fish in summer | Cocktail baits (worm, crab, mussel, razorfish) on pulley-pennel rigs, particularly around the first flight of steps in a slight-to-moderate swell. |
| Saltburn Pier | North East | Nov–Mar (best after a northerly blow) | Bottom-fished worm/crab/fish cocktails from the pier end on a rising tide. |
| Scarborough South Bay | North East | Oct–Feb | Crab bait fished hard on the bottom from Marine Drive |
| Selsey Bill | South East | Oct-Jan | Bigger baits after dark in the winter run |
| Sheringham West Beach | East | Autumn–winter | Bait fished from the beach west of the lifeboat station |
| South Shields Pier | North East | Late Sep–Mar (bigger fish), smaller codling in summer | Pulley-pennel rigs with big cocktail baits (black lugworm, yellowtail, mussel, squid) cast to clear ground on a flooding or high tide. |
| Southwold Pier | East | Nov–Feb | Lug tipped with squid; peeler crab is best in spring |
| Stonehaven Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Mar | Bait fished (lugworm/mussel) from the rock marks south of the harbour toward Crawton; occasional harbour fish too. |
| Thurso / Scrabster | Scotland | Oct–Mar | Bait fished (lug/mackerel) from the harbour in winter, into double figures on occasion. |
| Tynemouth Longsands | North East | Oct–Feb | Peeler crab fished hard on the bottom, best on a rising tide |
| Walton-on-the-Naze Pier | East | Nov–Feb | Lugworm and squid cocktail fished at the pier end in rough winter conditions on the ebb. |
| Whitburn Beach | North East | Sep–Feb | Bottom fished worm/peeler cocktails off the rock ledges, best with some sea running |
| Whitby West Pier | North East | Oct–Feb | Bottom fish with lugworm/mussel/crab cocktails on a two-hook flapper after dark, best around high water. |
| Whitehead Promenade | N. Ireland | Oct–Feb | Fish or worm bait fished hard on the bottom |
| Wick Harbour | Scotland | Oct–Mar | Bait (lugworm/mussel/squid cocktail) fished from the harbour arms and adjacent rock marks on a rising tide |