Cod is a winter fish. Winter cod are a main target over wrecks and rough ground on trips from Brighton. British boat record: confirmed.
Download the cod fish guide (PDF)2 pages, A4, 160 KB: the facts on this page, the picture and how to fish with us. Free to print.
About the cod
Cod is a winter fish. It is thick-bodied, mottled green-brown, with a long barbel on the chin, three rounded fins on its back and a pale line along each side. Adults grow to 100 to 140 cm, though most fish you will meet are far smaller than that. UK shore fish average about 1.5 kg, and boat fish over 10 kg are uncommon away from the far north.
Cod live over wrecks, rough ground and coarse seabed, from the shoreline down to about 300 m. Smaller fish stay nearer the shore. Off Sussex the season runs from autumn to early spring. The first cod arrive in autumn, and December, January, February and March are the main months to target them.
On a boat trip, a cod is a winter prize rather than a summer one, so you want to wrap up warm. A fish of 58 lb 6 oz stands as the British boat record, caught off Whitby, which tells you how big the species can grow when everything goes its way. Stocks are under pressure in some areas, so it is worth looking after the fish you catch.
On the boat
Cod are caught from a boat by anchoring over rough ground and fishing running ledger rigs and pennel rigs with big worm, squid or fish baits. Pirks and shads also work. Off Sussex the best of it comes from autumn to early spring, with December to March the main target months. The Kestrel Warrior pages describe winter cod and pollack over wrecks and rough ground, and a cod was in one day's wreck catch in August.
British boat-caught record
Confirmed record
- Weight
- 58 lb 6 oz (26.478 kg)
- Where
- North Sea, off Whitby
- When
- 1992
- Angler
- Noel Cook
Confirmed British boat-caught record: Noel Cook, 58 lb 6 oz (26.478 kg), North Sea, off Whitby, 1992. The list gives the year only, not the full date. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024. This record is on the official British Record Fish Committee list, so it is a confirmed record, not a claim.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
The minimum size for cod in UK waters is 35 cm. Stocks are under pressure in some areas, so handle fish with care and think before you keep one. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
The British boat record cod weighed 58 lb 6 oz (26.478 kg), caught off Whitby in 1992. Planet Sea Fishing says boat fish over 10 kg are uncommon away from the far north.
Questions about the cod
What is the British boat-caught record for cod?
Confirmed British boat-caught record: Noel Cook, 58 lb 6 oz (26.478 kg), North Sea, off Whitby, 1992. The list gives the year only, not the full date. The official weight-based boat records were frozen in June 2024. This record is on the official British Record Fish Committee list, so it is a confirmed record, not a claim.
Is cod caught off the Sussex coast?
Yes. Winter cod are a main target over wrecks and rough ground on trips from Brighton.
When is the best time to catch cod?
Off Sussex: Best from autumn to early spring; the first cod arrive in autumn. Main target in December, January, February and March.
How big does a cod get?
UK shore fish average about 1.5 kg; boat fish over 10 kg are uncommon away from the far north. Adults grow to 100-140 cm.
Sources
- Planet Sea Fishing - Cod: planetseafishing.com
- Wikipedia - Atlantic cod: en.wikipedia.org
- Gov.uk - Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes: gov.uk
- BRFC Sea Fish Listings June 2026: anglingtrust.net
- Kestrel Warrior - Cod and pollack trips: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
- Kestrel Warrior - Sea fish of Sussex: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
- Kestrel Warrior - Sea fishing seasons Sussex: kestrelwarrior6.co.uk
Picture: Hans-Petter Fjeld, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
