UTERPollock fishing in Gulf of Maine fishing
In Gulf of Maine fishing, pollock peak June–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Big pollock on Jeffreys and Platts Bank and the Isles of Shoals on diamond jigs and teasers.
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.
Pollock 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.
- AprilAroundHaddock reopen; cod spawn in Ipswich Bay. Haddock on the ledges again; Ipswich Bay's spawning cod are protected by a closure — check NOAA; first flounder in the harbors.
- MayArrivingPollock move up onto the ledges as the water warms.
- JunePeakStripers on herring and mackerel; groundfish on the ledges. Live mackerel off the Maine ledges and Plum Island for stripers; haddock and pollock on Stellwagen, Jeffreys and Tillies; the first giant bluefin.
- JulyPeakBig pollock on Jeffreys and Platts Bank and the Isles of Shoals on diamond jigs and teasers.
- AugustPeakBluefin, pollock and the odd chopper. Tuna on the ledges and the banks; pollock and haddock on the party boats; choppers in Boston Harbor in the years they come.
- SeptemberPeakThe fall feed — big stripers, bigger bluefin. Big stripers on pogies in Boston Harbor and the Maine rivers; the largest bluefin of the year; cod seasons are short and change yearly (eastern GOM listed Sept–Oct in 2026) — check NOAA.
- 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 pollock 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 pollock hold on.
What to use for pollock
- 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 38–60°F water, best at 42–54°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch pollock in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Peak season is June–October. Pollock are here year-round. July: Big pollock on Jeffreys and Platts Bank and the Isles of Shoals on diamond jigs and teasers.
Where do pollock 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 pollock in Gulf of Maine fishing?
Live bait: herring, sand eels. Herring: Cut-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. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–14/0, braid 65–100 lb.
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All about pollock · The Gulf of Maine, the whole year