• Scientific name: Pollachius pollachius
• Also known as: Lythe
• Size: Up to 3ft and 20lbs (UK shore caught typically 1-5lbs)
• UK minimum size: 12inches (30cm) in length
• UK shore caught record: 18lb 4oz
• IUCN Status: NE (Not Evaluated)
• Distribution: Common throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland.
• Feeds on: Predator that feeds by hunting small fish and sandeels, but will also scour the seabed for anything it can find such as worms and crustaceans.
• Description: Lower jaw protrudes noticeably and the there is no barbel on the chin. Flanks are brown to greenish grey, although pollock from some areas have a coppery colour which can be very bright, especially when a fish has just been removed from the water. Lateral line is high and curves upwards. As a member of the cod family the pollock has three dorsal fins.

The large eyes and mouth make it clear that the pollock is a predatory fish that feeds by hunting. While most fish are either demersal (feed on or near the seabed), or pelagic (live and feed in mid-water), pollock are unusual in the sense that they will feed at all water levels. They will hunt for small fish such as sprats, small mackerel and sandeels between mid-water and the surface, and also scour the seabed for flatfish, worms and crabs and shellfish. Bigger fish tend to live in deeper water, and especially favour feeding over wrecks, while smaller pollock form into loose shoals and tend to stay in shallower water where they will feed on a wider diet including mussels, crabs, worms as well as any small fish they can catch. Pollock fishing is synonymous with rock marks as pollock favour hunting among or over rocky and weedy seabeds.

Life Cycle

Pollock appear to be non-migratory and stay around the same area for the whole of their lives. They will, however, move into deeper water in the colder winter months and may go as far as several miles offshore. During this time they will also spawn. For this reason pollock is seen as a summer species by UK anglers as this is the only time they will be caught from the shore with regularity.

Commercial Value

Pollock from European waters are not commercially caught in large numbers, although recent years have seen the popularity of this species rise as people look for a sustainable whitefish alternative to cod and haddock. While pollock is a perfectly acceptable table fish (and is a member of the cod family) it is seen as inferior to cod and haddock and does not command as high a price as either of these species. In 2009 the UK supermarket Sainsbury’s attempted to re-brand pollock under the new name of ‘Colin’ (which is the French word for hake) on the basis that many consumers were avoiding buying pollock because of its name. The Alaskan pollock (Theragra chalcogrammaalso, also known as the walleye pollock) is one of the most important commercial fish in the world. The huge numbers of Alaskan pollock found in the Bering sea and the Gulf of Alaska led to this area being described as the last genuine major fishery left in the world. However, these fish are only distantly related to the pollock that live in European waters.

Confusion with Coalfish

Sometimes anglers get the pollock confused with the closely related coalfish. While both fish are broadly similar in both appearance, feeding and behaviour there are a number of clear differences, and with a little knowledge it soon becomes easy to tell these two species apart.

See a detailed guide explaining the differences between these two species.

Pollock and Coalfish Identification Guide

Pollock and coalfish are often confused by anglers and they are indeed closely related, being the only two members of the Pollachius genus. While these two species are broadly similar looking – and live and feed in the same areas – the differences between these species are fairly clear and a little time spent studying the pictures below will allow any angler to easily tell the difference between two species.

Techniques and Methods to Catch Pollock

nshore pollock live and feed in rocky areas, especially marks that give way to deep water. Because they can be found anywhere in the water column – from scavenging for worms on the seabed to chasing preyfish at the surface – there are a range of different fishing techniques that will catch these fish. Bait fishing with squid, crab, mackerel and worm baits can be effective. Hooks sized 2/0 or 3/0 in a strong pattern are a good choice, with clipped down rigs used if fishing at range or one or two hook flapping rigs used if fishing closer in. Lure fishing is an effective way to catch pollock, with spinners, plugs and especially jelly lures all being taken by pollock. Float fishing can also be an effective tactic with mackerel, ragworm and sandeel baits presented in mid-water accounting for some decent sized pollock. Free lining mackerel strip, head-hooked ragworm or sandeels into deep water is also worth a try. Some anglers even use fly fishing gear and sandeel type flies, as pollock will feed right at the surface of the water, especially at dusk. Whichever methods is used anglers should always keep their wits about them as pollock can strike at any time and will often hit a spinner or plug when it is very close to being retrieved by the angler.

Reputation as a Sport Fish

Pollock fight very hard, and many anglers would say that pound-for-pound they are one of the hardest fighting fish that British anglers are likely to encounter. Once hooked pollock will dive, often seeking cover in weed beds or heavy kelp. Pollock that are hooked on light gear and allowed to dive are often lost as they cannot be removed from the weed beds once they have secured themselves there. The variety of methods that can be used to fish for pollock, and the fight that they put up once hooked, mean that they are one of the UK’s highly regarded sporting fish.

http://britishseafishing.co.uk/pollock/