UTERAtlantic cod fishing in Gulf of Maine fishing
In Gulf of Maine fishing, Atlantic cod peak April–May and September–October and are around year-round, spawning in April–May, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Spring-spawning cod in Ipswich Bay; there's a spawning closure — check NOAA.
Stripers leave; tuna and groundfish carry on. The last stripers head out early in the month; bluefin until the weather turns; haddock and pollock on the ledges.
Atlantic cod in Gulf of Maine fishing, month by month
- JanuaryAroundGroundfish on the deep ledges when the weather lets you. Party boats to the deep ledges for haddock (check NOAA — seasons and cod rules are tight); winter weather calls most days.
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAroundHaddock closed in March; a quiet month. Gulf of Maine haddock is closed in March (2026 rules); not much else inshore.
- AprilSpawningSpring-spawning cod in Ipswich Bay; there's a spawning closure — check NOAA.
- MaySpawning
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakGulf of Maine cod seasons are short and change yearly (eastern GOM listed Sept–Oct for 2026); check NOAA before keeping one.
- OctoberPeakStripers leave; tuna and groundfish carry on. The last stripers head out early in the month; bluefin until the weather turns; haddock and pollock on the ledges.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish Atlantic cod near Boston, Gloucester, Newburyport
Cold, deep, rocky water: Massachusetts Bay and Stellwagen Bank, the North Shore beaches and Plum Island, the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers, the Isles of Shoals and Jeffreys Ledge, and the long ragged Maine coast of rocky points, islands and tidal rivers (Saco, Kennebec, Penobscot) out to Platts Bank and Tillies.
Fish Scouter charts 361 wreck, 2 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The Gulf of Maine map area — the kinds Atlantic cod hold on.
What to use for Atlantic cod
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Leader80–150 lb mono
- Hook8/0–14/0
- Braid65–100 lb
Feeds in 36–58°F water, best at 40–52°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Atlantic cod in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Peak season is April–May and September–October, with fish spawning in April–May (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Atlantic cod are here year-round. April: Spring-spawning cod in Ipswich Bay; there's a spawning closure — check NOAA.
Where do Atlantic cod hold in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Look on artificial reef, wreck, ledge / hard bottom — around Boston, Gloucester, Newburyport, Portsmouth, Portland, Boothbay.
What is the best bait for Atlantic cod in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Live bait: squid, herring, sand eels. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–14/0, braid 65–100 lb.
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All about Atlantic cod · The Gulf of Maine, the whole year