Average Size – 1lb – 6lb

British Record – 44lb 8oz

Cod are the single most sought after and instantly recognisable fish caught by UK sea anglers. They are easily identified by the mottled, green and brown back and chin barbel. Three dorsal fins run the length of their back. The white lateral line has a pronounce arch from the gills. The cod also has a cavernous mouth which they use to hoover up anything they come across in their search for a meal. They grow quickly with fish of a pound in weight one year weighing over 3 or 4 pounds the following year. Until they reach a weight of about 6lbs they are generally known as codling to most anglers.

Cod are the iconic winter fish in British waters and have a vast following of anglers who extensively spend their winters trying to track down these prized fish. In South Devon the run of cod to our venues varies from year to year with consistent catches each winter being hard to come by. Some years there seems to be a glut of codling, others the odd few fish and some years only a few large specimens are caught. They are generally caught from the deep water rock marks or from areas with a good run of tide. The fishing for cod usually begins in October with catches being made through the winter until the end of February. The timing of their arrival (or not) is often dependent on water temperature, with low water temperatures being preferred. Lugworms, peeler crab and squid are the main baits for cod with other baits such as shellfish or live whiting coming into their own if that food source is abundant. Daylight fishing can be rewarding from the deep water marks, especially if the water is coloured following storm conditions, the daylight can also keep the whiting shoals away from the bait long enough for a cod to find it. Night fishing is generally more productive in calmer conditions. The best rigs are pennel rigs or pulley pennel to accommodate a large bait, the cod’s big mouth can easily handle a large bait and they use the scent to track it down. Make sure strong hooks and snood strengths are employed as, although the average size of fish is between 1lb and 6lb, double figure fish are always a possibility when targeting cod. The cod is a tasty fish and do tend to swim in shoals but whilst a glut can be great it is best to only keep what you need for the table and return others to spawn in the future, the cod is one of the most in demand species in all of UK waters.