What is the best bait for Cod Fishing?

Cod are voracious predators and will readily take a variety of baits. Some of the most popular and effective baits for cod include:

Frozen Bait

•Frozen Mackerel or Herring: Large baits such as whole frozen mackerel or larger sections of herring are an excellent option for cod. These baits put off large scent profile and plenty of movement with little effort as they slowly sink.

•Frozen Squid: Frozen Squid and calamari strips remain effective baits for taking Cod when the fish are not interested in more natural presentations.

•Frozen Clam: Squid and Clam are the standard baits for Cod Fishing. They are excellent for targeting larger cod when drifting as they put of both scent and flash in the water.

Whole or sectioned Live Bait

•Live Mackerel or Herring: Live baits are always at the top of the list when it comes to choosing the best bait for Cod Fishing. Large Live baits in the 9 to 15-inch size range can target trophy Cod.

•Small Live Baitfish: Smaller live baitfish such as sand eels, smelt, or white hake are a good option for cod and can sometimes provide a better presentation when fish are on the smaller side.

Fresh Dead or Fresh Stripped Bait

•Fresh Mackerel or Herring Strips: Fresh or whole baits remain a highly effective choice and can be rigged many different ways in order to suit different conditions.

•Fresh Squid or Clam: Fresh Squid or Clam remains an excellent choice for all round Cod bait. They retain color, texture, and scent better than frozen baits over longer periods of time when bait fishing from a boat,

•Fresh Baits such as Sand Eels, Shrimp or Blood Worms: Fresh baits may produce better when smaller size cod or Pollock are encountered with the larger species. Some of these baits such as blood worms also retain scents better over time.

Artificial Lures

While not the most popular method of taking cod, it is becoming increasingly popular to use certain artificial lures to mimic live prey. Some standard methods include:

•Jigging with vertical jigs

•Casting and retrieving large swim baits to mimic fish species

Tips

•Always try several baits options first to see what the fish prefer for the day

•Use a variety of sizes of baits to cater to different sizes of cod

•Keep baits fresh and lively

•Make sure to use high contrast colors when using artificial lures

•Experiment with different retrieval speeds and techniques to see what works best