How to catch Haddock

Haddock feed in 36–56°F water and bite best at 40–50°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 1 water; in October they are at their peak in The Gulf of Maine.

10 pts · trophy at 24"Feeds 36–56°FBest 40–50°FIn season nowArtificial reefWreckLedge / hard bottom

About

The fish-and-chips fish: a smaller cod relative with a black thumbprint on the shoulder, schooling on the Gulf of Maine ledges in numbers since the stock came back. The party boats' bread and butter.

How to fish it

Clams on a two-hook rig or a small jig with a teaser on Stellwagen, Jeffreys and Tillies in 100–250 ft.

What it eats

clamssmall jigssquidsandworms

Live bait for it

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.

What to fish it with

the sizes that fish it

Leader80–150 lb mono

Hook8/0–14/0

Braid65–100 lb

The rule

not confirmed here

Rules differ by state — check NOAA Fisheries (federal Gulf of Maine haddock rules) before you keep one.

The current rule →

Where it is, month by month

PPeakSSpawningAArriving·AroundLLeaving

Mid & North Atlantic

The Gulf of Maine

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