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Sea fish

Saithe

Pollachius virens

Get to know the species, pick your region, find your spot.

Other names: Pollock

Open fishing grounds on the map Bait and tackle
Saithe
Habitat
Kayalık · iskele · açık su

Choose your region

The information changes with the region you choose.

Where is Saithe caught?

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North East coast fishing spots

61
North East coast
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A listed spot is not a guarantee of a catch.

North East coast

Season and suitable conditions

Recorded all year round in this region; no distinct fishing season shows.

Season information is no guarantee of a catch.

Best times of day

When in the day it bites best, month by month.

  • Active at dawn and dusk
  • Limited at night

In October

  1. Dawn 85

    1 h before sunrise → 2 h after

  2. Midday 40

    1 h before midday → 1 h after

  3. Dusk Best 90

    2 h before sunset → 1.5 h after

  4. Night 65

    1 h after sunset → 2 h before sunrise

Moon phase

Effect of the moon on night fishing; the scores compare the phases.

  1. New moon 60
  2. First quarter 55
  3. Full moon 55
  4. Last quarter 55

Best phase: No clear effect

Windows across 12 months

Best times of day J F M A M J J A S O N D
Dawn 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85 85
Midday 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40
Dusk 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90
Night 65 65 65 55 55 55 55 55 55 65 65 65

Windows follow sunrise and sunset; clock times change with place and date. Scores are relative within the month: 100 is the best window of the day.

8 sources · confidence medium

Habitat

Where it lives and in what kind of water: ranges compiled by the research.

Depth

0–364 m

mostly 40–200 m

Water temperature

-0.6–23.5 °C

ideal 3–12 °C

Salinity

Full-strength seawater

25–39.9 ‰

Shore types

  • Cove / inner bay
  • Rocky shore
  • Breakwater / jetty
  • Pier / quay
  • Headland
  • Channel / strait link
  • Inside harbours
  • Cliff / steep shore
  • Harbour mouth
  • Strait shore
  • Reclaimed shore

Bottom

Lives close to the bottom

  • Sand
  • Sand and gravel
  • Gravel
  • Rock
  • Sand, gravel and rock
  • Seaweed

Ranges from FishBase, AquaMaps and the literature; a general tendency, not a hard limit.

Confidence: shore type medium, temperature medium

Bait and tackle suggestions

Recorded baits and fishing techniques.

Bait by month

Baits documented for shore fishing, month by month and by water clarity.

In October

Natural baits

Lures

By water clarity

Pelagic sight hunter — Chases baitfish shoals by sight. Lures shine in clear water; in murky water its hunting range shrinks.

Clear Visibility: over 8 m
Lure first, natural also works First natural bait: Ragworm · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live baitfish or a whole fresh fish; thin fluorocarbon leader, no float or a light one. First lure: Hard minnow · Very suitable Usually in this water: Hard minnow/stickbait, slim metal jig; fast, erratic retrieve. Colour: Blue-green back, Silver, White
Slightly coloured Visibility: 4–8 m
Lure First natural bait: Ragworm · Very suitable Usually in this water: Live or fresh whole fish; normal size. First lure: Sabiki rig · Very suitable Usually in this water: Spoon, metal jig, popper/topwater; medium-fast retrieve. Colour: Silver, White, Blue-green back, Pink
Moderately coloured Visibility: 2–4 m
Lure first, natural also works First natural bait: Ragworm · Very suitable Usually in this water: Cut oily fish (sardine/mackerel) with chum; under a float or at mid-depth. First lure: Spinner · Very suitable Usually in this water: Spinner, paddle-tail shad, metal jig one size up; vibration first. Colour: White, Fluorescent, Gold
Murky Visibility: 1–2 m
Natural first, lures also work First natural bait: Ragworm · Very suitable Usually in this water: Oily fish fillet, bloody chunks; chum for a scent trail; fish slower. First lure: Spinner · Suitable Usually in this water: If you must, a rattling vibe/lipless; near the bottom, slow. Colour: Fluorescent, Dark silhouette
Very murky Visibility: under 1 m
Natural bait First natural bait: Mackerel · Suitable Usually in this water: A large, bloody chunk of oily fish; refresh the bait often. Catches usually drop. First lure: Spinner · Weak Colour: Colour does not matter
12-month bait calendar
January
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
February
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
March
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
April
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
May
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
June
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
July
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
August
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
September
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
October
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
November
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig
December
Natural baits: Mackerel, Ragworm, Peeler crab, Mussel Lures: Jighead + shad, Spinner, Hard minnow, Sabiki rig

This is the usual pattern; the water and weather on the day can change it. Colour is fine-tuning: bait type, size and action come first. Confidence: natural medium, lures high. Colour and presentation guide

Fishing rules

The regulation holds no separate minimum size or closed season entry for this species. The provisions for Türkiye as a whole apply.

Before you go, check local area and method restrictions.

Species profile

Saithe
Scientific name
Pollachius virens
Water type
Saltwater
Other names
Pollock

Frequently asked questions

Which seas is Saithe found in?

In our records Saithe appears in these seas: Atlantic Ocean — Spain, Cantabrian Sea — Spain, North East coast — England, East coast — England, North West coast — England, North Sea — Germany, Baltic Sea — Germany, South coast — Norway, West coast — Norway, Møre and Trøndelag coast — Norway, Nordland coast — Norway, Troms coast — Norway, Barents Sea — Norway, West coast — Sweden, South coast — Sweden, North Sea — Denmark, Kattegat and Skagerrak — Denmark, Baltic Sea — Denmark.

In which months is Saithe at its peak?

Peak periods by sea: Cantabrian Sea — Spain October–February; Atlantic Ocean — Spain October–February; North Sea — Germany all year; Baltic Sea — Germany all year; North East coast — England all year; East coast — England all year; North West coast — England all year; South coast — Norway October–April; West coast — Norway October–May; Møre and Trøndelag coast — Norway May–October; Nordland coast — Norway May–October; Troms coast — Norway May–October; Barents Sea — Norway May–October; South coast — Sweden October–April; West coast — Sweden October–April; North Sea — Denmark October–April; Kattegat and Skagerrak — Denmark October–April; Baltic Sea — Denmark October–April.

Similar species

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Open fishing grounds on the map
Open fishing grounds on the map · 1,726 fishing grounds

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