Atlantic Cod are one of Canada’s most iconic saltwater fish, especially in Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada. They are bottom-oriented fish that often live around rocky bottoms, ledges, kelp edges, and deeper structure.

• Habits: Bottom predator; feeds on capelin, herring, shrimp, crabs, squid, and small fish.
• Best Season: Summer and fall are popular in many regions, but openings and retention rules are highly regulated.
• Best Methods: Cod jigs, baited bottom rigs, cut bait, squid, metal jigs, and boat fishing over structure.
• Where to Fish: Rocky bottom, reefs, ledges, kelp edges, offshore banks, and coastal boat-access areas.

Striped Bass are popular in eastern Canada, especially around tidal rivers, estuaries, beaches, and coastal areas. They move with baitfish and often feed aggressively during tide changes.

• Habits: Schooling predator; follows herring, smelt, mackerel, silversides, eels, and other baitfish.
• Best Season: Spring through fall can be productive, with strong action during migrations and bait movement.
• Best Methods: Surf plugs, soft plastics, bucktails, topwater lures, live bait, cut bait, and drifting current seams.
• Where to Fish: Tidal rivers, estuaries, beaches, inlets, bridges, current seams, and river mouths.

Atlantic Mackerel are fast, schooling fish that are popular from piers, wharves, boats, and shorelines in Atlantic Canada. They are fun on light tackle and often show up when baitfish are present.

• Habits: Fast pelagic feeder; travels in schools and chases small baitfish near the surface.
• Best Season: Summer through early fall is often productive in many Atlantic areas.
• Best Methods: Sabiki rigs, small metal jigs, spoons, feathers, bait strips, and fast retrieves.
• Where to Fish: Piers, harbours, wharves, bays, boat channels, and near visible bait schools.

Pollock are common in Atlantic Canadian waters and are often found near rocky shorelines, kelp, reefs, and deeper structure. They can hit lures aggressively and fight well on medium spinning gear.

• Habits: Active predator; feeds on small fish, squid, shrimp, and marine invertebrates.
• Best Season: Late spring through fall can be productive, depending on region and water temperature.
• Best Methods: Metal jigs, soft plastics, spoons, bucktails, baited rigs, and casting around rocky edges.
• Where to Fish: Rocky shorelines, kelp beds, reefs, ledges, wharves, drop-offs, and nearshore boat spots.

Flounder are flatfish that lie on the bottom and wait for prey. They are commonly targeted around sandy or muddy bottoms, channels, estuaries, and coastal bays.

• Habits: Bottom ambush feeder; eats worms, shrimp, small crabs, and small baitfish.
• Best Season: Spring through fall is often productive, depending on local water temperature and regulations.
• Best Methods: Bottom rigs, small hooks, worms, clam strips, shrimp, squid strips, and slow dragging presentations.
• Where to Fish: Sandy flats, mud bottoms, estuaries, channels, beaches, wharf edges, and shallow bays.

Haddock are Atlantic groundfish often associated with deeper offshore banks and sandy or gravel bottom. They are commonly targeted by boat anglers using baited bottom rigs.

• Habits: Bottom feeder; eats worms, clams, small crustaceans, squid, and small fish.
• Best Season: Varies by region and regulation; boat-access offshore grounds are common.
• Best Methods: Baited bottom rigs, clams, squid strips, cut bait, high-low rigs, and light bottom tackle.
• Where to Fish: Offshore banks, gravel bottom, sandy bottom, deeper grounds, and charter boat areas.

Bluefin Tuna are among the strongest saltwater fish in Canadian waters. They are serious offshore targets, especially in parts of Atlantic Canada, and require heavy gear and experienced crews.

• Habits: Powerful pelagic predator; follows herring, mackerel, squid, and other baitfish.
• Best Season: Late summer and fall are often important in many Atlantic tuna areas.
• Best Methods: Trolling, drifting live or dead bait, chumming, heavy stand-up gear, and offshore boat fishing.
• Where to Fish: Offshore banks, deep current lines, bait schools, tuna grounds, and charter boat areas.

Pacific Salmon are iconic on Canada’s west coast. Chinook and Coho are especially popular with saltwater anglers, while other salmon species may also be encountered depending on area and season.

• Habits: Migratory predator; feeds on herring, anchovies, squid, and small baitfish in saltwater.
• Best Season: Spring through fall varies by species, area, run timing, and regulations.
• Best Methods: Trolling spoons, hoochies, plugs, cut-plug herring, flashers, mooching, and bait fishing where legal.
• Where to Fish: BC tidal waters, points, channels, kelp edges, bait schools, current lines, and salmon migration routes.

Lingcod are aggressive predators found along the Pacific coast, especially around rocky structure and reefs. They are known for hard strikes and powerful fights near bottom.

• Habits: Ambush predator; holds around rocks, reefs, pinnacles, kelp edges, and broken bottom.
• Best Season: Openings vary by tidal area and regulation; spring through fall can be productive where open.
• Best Methods: Large swimbaits, jigs, metal lures, baited rigs, vertical jigging, and bottom fishing.
• Where to Fish: Rocky reefs, kelp edges, drop-offs, pinnacles, wrecks, and hard-bottom structure.

Rockfish are common on the Pacific coast around rocky reefs, kelp, and deep structure. Many species are slow-growing, so regulations and conservation rules are very important.

• Habits: Structure-oriented fish; often holds close to reefs, rocks, kelp, and steep drop-offs.
• Best Season: Varies by area, species, and conservation closure.
• Best Methods: Small jigs, swimbaits, baited rigs, metal jigs, and careful release tools where required.
• Where to Fish: Rocky reefs, kelp forests, ledges, pinnacles, and hard-bottom areas.

Pacific Halibut are large flatfish and one of the most prized saltwater fish on Canada’s west coast. They are powerful bottom fish often targeted from boats in deeper water.

• Habits: Bottom predator; feeds on herring, octopus, squid, crabs, and bottom fish.
• Best Season: Spring through fall can be productive, but openings, size limits, and possession rules vary.
• Best Methods: Heavy bottom rigs, circle hooks, herring, salmon bellies, octopus, large jigs, and scent-based baits.
• Where to Fish: Sandy flats, gravel bottom, offshore banks, drop-offs, current edges, and deep boat-access grounds.

Greenling are smaller Pacific coast fish often found near kelp, rocks, piers, and shallow coastal structure. They can be fun targets for light tackle anglers fishing from shore or small boats.

• Habits: Bottom and structure feeder; eats small crabs, shrimp, worms, and marine invertebrates.
• Best Season: Spring through fall is often pleasant for shore and nearshore fishing where legal.
• Best Methods: Small jigs, baited hooks, shrimp, worms, squid strips, and light bottom rigs.
• Where to Fish: Kelp edges, rocky shorelines, piers, docks, tide channels, and shallow reefs.