Poor cod is a small fish, yellowish-brown with coppery sides. Our sources do not record it off the Sussex coast. British boat record: none listed.
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About the poor cod
Poor cod is a small fish, yellowish-brown with coppery sides. It is easy to mix up with pouting, so check the positions of the fins before you decide which you have.
It grows to about 26 cm, though 15 to 20 cm is more usual, which puts it among the mini-species. It is still a cod-family fish, just a small one.
Poor cod are common over the seabed, in about 25 to 200 m of water. They are less common close inshore than pouting, which is worth remembering when you are working out which small fish is on your hook.
They take almost any small bait. Small sabiki lures fished hard on the bottom also work.
The record does not say the species is caught off Sussex, and it gives no months for when it is best, so we will not guess. What we can say is that this is a modest little fish with a name that sells it short.
On the boat
Poor cod take almost any small bait, and small sabiki lures fished hard on the bottom also work. They are common over the seabed at about 25 to 200 m, and less common close inshore than pouting. The record gives no months for Britain or Sussex, and does not list Sussex as a place where poor cod are caught, so we cannot say more.
British boat-caught record
None listed
No British boat-caught record is listed for this species. The official mini-species record is 358 g, caught by Adam Slack at Berry Head, Torquay, in 2003. That list does not split boat and shore catches, so it is not confirmed as boat-caught.
How we label records: the British boat-caught records table explains confirmed, claimed and none listed.
Care and rules
Poor cod is a mini-species. No minimum size was found on the Gov.uk page. The record has no notes on release or eating, so we do not offer any. Rules change: check the current rules before you fish.
Did you know?
Poor cod is easy to confuse with pouting. The record says to check fin positions to tell them apart, and that poor cod is less common close inshore.
Questions about the poor cod
What is the British boat-caught record for poor cod?
No British boat-caught record is listed for this species. The official mini-species record is 358 g, caught by Adam Slack at Berry Head, Torquay, in 2003. That list does not split boat and shore catches, so it is not confirmed as boat-caught.
Is poor cod caught off the Sussex coast?
Not according to the sources behind this guide.
When is the best time to catch poor cod?
Our sources do not give months for the poor cod, for Sussex or for the rest of Britain.
How big does a poor cod get?
Up to about 26 cm; 15-20 cm is more usual.
Sources
- Planet Sea Fishing - Poor cod: planetseafishing.com
- BRFC Sea Fish Listings June 2026: anglingtrust.net
Picture: Peter van der Sluijs, file page on Wikimedia Commons. Every picture in the guide is listed on the picture credits page.
