Pacific Cod
Gadus macrocephalus
Mild, flaky, an honest fish. Cousin to Atlantic cod, often the better-managed choice — Atlantic cod stocks have been hammered for decades while Pacific cod stays well-managed in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
Pacific cod is built for chowder, fish-and-chips, baked-with-butter weeknights. It does not pretend to be glamorous. It is the kind of fish that makes a Tuesday dinner happen on a budget without anyone complaining.
Caught primarily on pot gear and jigs out of Kodiak from January through April, when the cod come into shallower water to spawn.
Where pacific cod lives
Biological range is not the same thing as catch context. This section separates public agency range information from the Alaska catching grounds connected to this guide.
Bottom-associated groundfish found across shelf habitat and colder Alaska waters.
North Pacific waters from Asia through the Bering Sea, Aleutians, and Gulf of Alaska.
Centers on Kodiak-area Pacific cod fisheries.
Catching grounds
The Alaska waters connected to this guide entry. Click through for the full story of each catching ground.
