If cod and haddock are the meat of a Gulf of Maine bottom trip, pollock are the fun. They school over and above the same structure, they are far more aggressive than their groundfish cousins, and they attack a jig and pull hard, a welcome jolt of energy on a bottom-fishing day.
How to identify them
Pollock are streamlined and greenish-dark above with a silvery belly, a pale, slightly curved lateral line, a small chin barbel, and a distinctly forked tail. They look sleeker and more athletic than a cod, and often hold up in the water column rather than glued to the bottom.
Where and when
Pollock hold over wrecks, ledges and hard bottom in the Gulf of Maine, often the same pieces as haddock, and frequently suspend above the structure. They are available much of the year, weather permitting.
Tip Watch your sounder for fish stacked up OFF the bottom. Pollock often hold well above the structure, so if you are marking fish at mid-depth, work your jig up through the water column, not just along the bottom.
How to catch them
Pollock love a jig. Diamond jigs and slow-pitch or vertical jigs ripped through a school draw savage strikes, and their aggression makes them a great jigging target. They also take bait meant for cod and haddock.