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Overview

How to target

Pollack
Species ID: pollack

Pollack

Pollack haunt rough, kelp-covered ground and man-made structure with tide run. From UK shores, target rocky headlands, deep kelp gullies, pier ends and breakwaters with immediate d...

🌊 Tide: flood 💨 Wind: calm 📅 Peak: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov

Best tide

flood

Moon

spring

Season

Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov

Wind

calm

Max weight

10 kg

Day vs night

Day 80%
Night 40%
Pollack haunt rough, kelp-covered ground and man-made structure with tide run. From UK shores, target rocky headlands, deep kelp gullies, pier ends and breakwaters with immediate depth and movement. Clear to lightly coloured water and a flooding tide into high usually fish best. Dawn and dusk are prime; bright midday sun can push fish deeper or tighter to cover. Work lures high over the kelp: 4–6 inch soft plastics on weedless jig heads, slim metals, or diving/minnow plugs. Float-fished sandeel or mackerel strip set to mid-water is a classic; live sandeel where legal is deadly. Keep retrieves steady with occasional lifts—most hits come as the lure rises past the weed line. Use 15–20 lb braid and a long 20–25 lb fluorocarbon leader to resist kelp and abrasion. Expect fish from 3–15 m down, with bigger pollack often holding off the edge of the rough ground in stronger tide. Take great care around swell on rock marks and use a long-handled net to land fish cleanly.

Temperature

8–16°C

Depth range

3–30 m

Baits

  • Soft Plastic (Sandeel) 9.2/10
  • Silicone Eel (Red Gill style) 8.8/10
  • Sinking Minnow 8.3/10
  • Metal Jig 7.9/10
  • Sandeel 7.6/10

Rigs

  • Float (Sliding) 9.2/10

    Classic for rock marks and pier ends. Set the stop to work 3–10 m deep above kelp; drift sandeel or mackerel strip with tide for natural presentation and far fewer snags.

  • Livebait Float Rig 8.9/10

    For bigger fish at headlands or breakwaters. Suspends a small pout/coalie/sandeel just above rough ground; the float keeps tackle clear while the bait swims in tide.

  • Jighead 8.6/10

    Soft shads/paddle-tails on 7–20 g heads fished along kelp edges and tidal rocks. Count down, then steady retrieve or lift-fall. Deadly at dawn/dusk; use lighter heads to reduce snags.

  • Bombarda (Casting Float) 8.3/10

    Launch small sandeel-style soft plastics to range and fish sub-surface over rough ground. Excellent in clear water and crosswinds; pair with a weedless hook to avoid kelp.

  • Weightless Weedless 8.1/10

    Great for shallow kelp gullies and white water. A weedless soft plastic glides and sinks slowly so you can work just above snags; twitch–pause retrieves trigger ambush strikes.