Coalfish are a member of the cod family and although difficult to confuse with any other fish they do look most like their near cousin the pollack. However if you look at the side profile of the coalfish compared to the pollack, the first dorsal fins back edge is directly in line with the start of the anal fin, whereas on the pollack the rear edge of the dorsal is inside the anal fin when a line is drawn vertically down. Also the jaws on coalfish are almost equal, but on the pollack the lower jaw protrudes beyond the top jaw noticeably.
Coalfish in both shallower inshore and offshore deeper water tend to have a very dark green back shading to lighter green on the sides and a grey/white belly. The lateral line is very noticeable on the coalie as a creamy white line.
The coalfish are technically a cold water dweller and distributed fully around the UK and Irish Coasts but are now less common inside the English Channel than they were 20-years ago, though the wrecks off the southern coast of Ireland still hold good numbers of coalfish.
They are also found right up the Norwegian coast and off northern Russia, all around Iceland, off the southern tip of Greenland and off the Northeast American coast up as far as Newfoundland. Its interesting that the Americans refer to coalfish (Pollachius virens) as “pollock”, but this name has no reference to the pollack (Pollachius pollachius) found in UK waters which are unique to the north-eastern half of the Atlantic.
Coalfish spawn in the January to April period in depths between 100 and 200-metres. The eggs and larvae drift near the surface in to shallow water nursery grounds along the shore. The juvenile fish stay here and grow until about 3lbs in weight, then migrate offshore living in amongst rough ground, rising rock pinnacles and ultimately as fully grown adults on the wrecks in deep water.
The young feed mainly on small sandeel, crab and worms, but adults are almost wholly fish and squid feeders.
WHEN AND WHERE TO FISH
The season for coalfish runs pretty much all year round in the north of the UK, but in the south they are classed as an autumnal and winter fish. The peak time for the very big fish on the wrecks is from November to March, with January and February likely to see the best fish.
Coalfish up to about 10lbs can be found in deeper water close to shore living in amongst rough ground, but particularly prefer areas of rising rock pinnacles and subterranean vertical rock faces. They switch position with the tide flow and use the structure to both block the flow of tide to limit energy expenditure, but also use the flow of tide to turn and add instant swimming speed which they use to ambush passing prey such as sandeels, mackerel and other baitfish.
As the coalfish reaches roughly 4lbs in weight it gradually moves out in to deeper water and will make a wreck its home.
BOAT COALFISH TACKLE
For both inshore and offshore coalfish the most sporting rod is a standard 12lb class some 8ft 6ins in length with a supple forgiving tip, but power increasing quickly in the mid section and a stiff butt to provide the power to play big fish deep down. Only when working in very deep water and expecting very big fish should you need to consider choosing a stronger 12/20lb class rod.
Match this to one of the new low-profile multiplier reels such as the ABU Revo Toro 60 and load with 15 to 20lb braid. Alternatively a reel in the typical 7000 size is ideal with either mono or braid.
The best way to target coalfish is with artificial lures. They will take baits, but this is a far less efficient way as they feed predominately on live fish, such as launce sandeels, mackerel and herring.
BOAT FLYING COLLAR RIG FOR COALFISH
TOP TIP 1
Coalfish resident on wrecks tend to lie up above the shoals of pollack and often it’s impossible to get through the coalfish shoals, so dense are they, to reach the pollack on well stocked wrecks. That said, often the biggest coalfish will reverse this process and sit underneath the pollack when the tide flow is running strongly.
Occasionally in lighter tide runs, the coalfish will also drop back and hang deep in to the bulb of calm water created as the tide flow hits the wreck and rises up and over it to drop slowly down some way away. They do this to intercept prey swept along in this current making an easy ambush target.
TOP TIP 2
Coalfish will take the same lures as pollack, but they do show more of a tendency to eat very brightly coloured lures such hot orange, luminous green and yellow and fire red. When you want coalfish and are catching just pollack, try switching to a “hot” colour as often this will pick out the coalies.
TOP TIP 3
Coalfish have a big eye giving them exceptional eye sight. To combat this always use a clear mono leader on the end of braid line to avoid eye contact with any coloured braid you are using.
In addition when using a flying collar rig and bites are slow, lengthen the lure trace by a few feet, say up to 15-feet and see if this makes a difference, it usually does. Also you’ll find you catch more fish using Fluoro carbon lure lengths than you will with mono.
TOP TIP 4
Always experiment with the rate of retrieve when retrieving your lure. Coalies sometimes want a slow retrieve and this seems particularly so on overcast days. On clear sunny days with good water clarity speed up the retrieve. Also try and alternate a little the retrieve rate by adding sudden speed to the lure as if it’s darting away from a predator. This can often get a response from an otherwise uninterested fish.
TOP TIP 5
As a coalfish takes the lure you’ll feel a slight but increasing pressure come on the rod tip. This is the fish sucking in water and dragging the lure back in to its mouth. When this happens keep retrieving at the same rate. The pressure on the rod trip will increase until the rod tip pulls fully over, the hook sets in the jaw of the fish, and the fish turns and bolts for the seabed.
Also keep the reel drag set well below the breaking strain of the line to avoid a breakage as the fish charges repeatedly for the wreck or seabed.
Coalfish in both shallower inshore and offshore deeper water tend to have a very dark green back shading to lighter green on the sides and a grey/white belly. The lateral line is very noticeable on the coalie as a creamy white line.
The coalfish are technically a cold water dweller and distributed fully around the UK and Irish Coasts but are now less common inside the English Channel than they were 20-years ago, though the wrecks off the southern coast of Ireland still hold good numbers of coalfish.
They are also found right up the Norwegian coast and off northern Russia, all around Iceland, off the southern tip of Greenland and off the Northeast American coast up as far as Newfoundland. Its interesting that the Americans refer to coalfish (Pollachius virens) as “pollock”, but this name has no reference to the pollack (Pollachius pollachius) found in UK waters which are unique to the north-eastern half of the Atlantic.
Coalfish spawn in the January to April period in depths between 100 and 200-metres. The eggs and larvae drift near the surface in to shallow water nursery grounds along the shore. The juvenile fish stay here and grow until about 3lbs in weight, then migrate offshore living in amongst rough ground, rising rock pinnacles and ultimately as fully grown adults on the wrecks in deep water.
The young feed mainly on small sandeel, crab and worms, but adults are almost wholly fish and squid feeders.
WHEN AND WHERE TO FISH
The season for coalfish runs pretty much all year round in the north of the UK, but in the south they are classed as an autumnal and winter fish. The peak time for the very big fish on the wrecks is from November to March, with January and February likely to see the best fish.
Coalfish up to about 10lbs can be found in deeper water close to shore living in amongst rough ground, but particularly prefer areas of rising rock pinnacles and subterranean vertical rock faces. They switch position with the tide flow and use the structure to both block the flow of tide to limit energy expenditure, but also use the flow of tide to turn and add instant swimming speed which they use to ambush passing prey such as sandeels, mackerel and other baitfish.
As the coalfish reaches roughly 4lbs in weight it gradually moves out in to deeper water and will make a wreck its home.
BOAT COALFISH TACKLE
For both inshore and offshore coalfish the most sporting rod is a standard 12lb class some 8ft 6ins in length with a supple forgiving tip, but power increasing quickly in the mid section and a stiff butt to provide the power to play big fish deep down. Only when working in very deep water and expecting very big fish should you need to consider choosing a stronger 12/20lb class rod.
Match this to one of the new low-profile multiplier reels such as the ABU Revo Toro 60 and load with 15 to 20lb braid. Alternatively a reel in the typical 7000 size is ideal with either mono or braid.
The best way to target coalfish is with artificial lures. They will take baits, but this is a far less efficient way as they feed predominately on live fish, such as launce sandeels, mackerel and herring.
BOAT FLYING COLLAR RIG FOR COALFISH
TOP TIP 1
Coalfish resident on wrecks tend to lie up above the shoals of pollack and often it’s impossible to get through the coalfish shoals, so dense are they, to reach the pollack on well stocked wrecks. That said, often the biggest coalfish will reverse this process and sit underneath the pollack when the tide flow is running strongly.
Occasionally in lighter tide runs, the coalfish will also drop back and hang deep in to the bulb of calm water created as the tide flow hits the wreck and rises up and over it to drop slowly down some way away. They do this to intercept prey swept along in this current making an easy ambush target.
TOP TIP 2
Coalfish will take the same lures as pollack, but they do show more of a tendency to eat very brightly coloured lures such hot orange, luminous green and yellow and fire red. When you want coalfish and are catching just pollack, try switching to a “hot” colour as often this will pick out the coalies.
TOP TIP 3
Coalfish have a big eye giving them exceptional eye sight. To combat this always use a clear mono leader on the end of braid line to avoid eye contact with any coloured braid you are using.
In addition when using a flying collar rig and bites are slow, lengthen the lure trace by a few feet, say up to 15-feet and see if this makes a difference, it usually does. Also you’ll find you catch more fish using Fluoro carbon lure lengths than you will with mono.
TOP TIP 4
Always experiment with the rate of retrieve when retrieving your lure. Coalies sometimes want a slow retrieve and this seems particularly so on overcast days. On clear sunny days with good water clarity speed up the retrieve. Also try and alternate a little the retrieve rate by adding sudden speed to the lure as if it’s darting away from a predator. This can often get a response from an otherwise uninterested fish.
TOP TIP 5
As a coalfish takes the lure you’ll feel a slight but increasing pressure come on the rod tip. This is the fish sucking in water and dragging the lure back in to its mouth. When this happens keep retrieving at the same rate. The pressure on the rod trip will increase until the rod tip pulls fully over, the hook sets in the jaw of the fish, and the fish turns and bolts for the seabed.
Also keep the reel drag set well below the breaking strain of the line to avoid a breakage as the fish charges repeatedly for the wreck or seabed.
