Species › Australia & New Zealand › Blue Cod

Saltwater

Blue Cod

Parapercis colias · rāwaru, pākirikiri, New Zealand blue cod

Water temp
46–59°F
Peak season
Nov–Mar
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
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Blue Cod (Blue Cod in Milford Sound.jpg)

Photo: André Richard Chalmers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Blue cod are not cods at all but sandperches: stout, blunt-headed fish with blue-grey to greenish backs, white bellies and a habit of sitting on the bottom and watching. Endemic to New Zealand, they are most abundant around the South Island, Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands and the Marlborough Sounds, over rocky reef edges, gravel and sand in 15–500 ft of water. They are aggressive opportunists that attack almost any bait or lure dropped near them, which is why possession limits, slot sizes and area closures are strict. For most Kiwi families, a feed of blue cod is what a fishing trip is about.

Typical size1–2 lb (0.5–0.9 kg); 12–16 in
Trophy5 lb+ (2.3 kg); 7 lb+ is exceptional
Table fareExcellent — sweet, firm white flesh; New Zealand's benchmark eating fish

Where & when

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Blue cod bite year-round, with summer the most comfortable and productive period; the Marlborough Sounds have had seasonal closures to rebuild the stock, so check current rules.

Marlborough Sounds, New ZealandHistoric blue cod fishery with tight, often seasonal rulesFoveaux Strait / Stewart Island, New ZealandDeep South; biggest and most abundant blue codKaikōura coast, New ZealandDeep water close in; reliable boat fishing

How to catch

Bottom-bouncing baitsDrift or anchor over reef edges in 60–200 ft and drop a two-hook ledger rig with squid or fish strips and enough weight to hold bottom. Cod hit immediately; wind up as soon as the rod loads and move if you are catching only small fish.
Micro and slow-pitch jigsWork 40–100 g jigs or soft plastics on heavy jigheads with short lifts right on the bottom. Jigs catch bigger average fish than bait and let you release undersized cod quickly without deep hooking.

Gear

Rod6–7' medium boat or jig rod rated 8–15 kg
Reel4000–5000 spinning or small overhead
Line20–30 lb braid; 30–40 lb mono trace

Lures

slow-pitch jigssoft plastics on heavy jigheadsflasher rigs with bait

Baits

squidpilchardmusselfish strips

Regulations

New Zealand sets regional minimum sizes, daily limits and in some areas slot limits and seasonal closures for blue cod, with the Marlborough Sounds and other South Island areas under special management. No license is required for sea fishing, but rules change, so check the MPI fishing rules before you go.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

Where is the best blue cod fishing in New Zealand?

The far south: Foveaux Strait, Stewart Island and the Fiordland coast hold the largest and most abundant blue cod, followed by the Chatham Islands and Kaikōura. The Marlborough Sounds are the historic hot spot but have been heavily fished and are subject to special rules, so plan a Sounds trip around the current regulations.

Bite forecast — Blue Cod

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Blue Cod.

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