Want to experience some of the best Cod fishing in the world? Wetting a line in a destination where you have a genuine chance of hooking and battling with a world record? If so, we have a range of Norwegian holiday destinations perfect for you.
Undoubtedly, the humble Cod is one of the sea anglers’ favourites – a popular eating fish and sportfish in equal measure; they are distinguishable with their mottled brown appearance, barbule and cavernous bucket mouth. Whilst not necessarily known for their explosive fighting capabilities, you’ll certainly know when you’ve hooked one, and the famous ‘Cod Nod’ from a hooked fish is something that all sea anglers can recognise.
Cod are a shoaling species, moving in large, size-structured aggregations; their diet consists of small fish, molluscs, crustaceans and sea worms. They’re not fussy and will consume most things they come across if in a feeding mood. When on a Cod fishing trip from the shore, a big smelly bait of worms, squid, fish, or crab is most effective, but boat fishing for them a large shad or pirk, imitating a baitfish will see the best results.
The current record for the rod and line caught Cod is a fish of 103lb, landed in Northern Norway. However, there is evidence that commercial trawlers have landed fish much bigger than 100lbs. However, wherever you’re fishing in the world, a boat caught Cod of 30lb is a good one, and so is a 10lb fish from the shore.
Below are three of our top Cod fishing destinations…
Big Fish Adventure – Soroya, Northern Norway
The island of Soroya in northern Norway is famed for its Cod fishing and is quite possibly the most famous destination in the world to catch this popular sea fish. It’s predominantly known for its Skrei Cod fishing in the early months of the year, as around the spring months of March and April, these migratory fish reign supreme, and the camp is almost exclusively packed with anglers targeting these incredible specimens. Fish of monstrous proportions – 60lb, 70lb, and even 80lb are not unusual.
As well as being home to the world record Cod, Soroya was also home to the biggest Cod landed by a British angler. Bert Williams landed a 93lb specimen, which was covered in an article by the BBC, on one of our guided trips back in 2016.
If you would like to learn more about this remarkable capture, you can read our blog, which covers the Biggest Ever Cod Caught By A British Angler and the story behind it.
Visit the tour pages:
Big Fish Adventure Soroya
Big Fish Adventure Skrei Cod Fishing Soroya
Big Fish Adventure Luxury All-Inclusive Sea Fishing Soroya
Vesteralen – Northern Norway
Our Nordic Sea Angling Camp of Vesteralen is the ideal location for anglers looking for a week of mixed fishing. However, it’s particularly popular for those looking to target some of the biggest summer Cod. It’s home to the famous mark known as ‘Jurassic Park’, a large underwater plateau that regularly produces fish to over 40lb. Last year, the destination was responsible for producing two Cod (not Skrei fish) weighing in at 64.5lb and 82.6lb on the same boat on the same day.
Vesteralen was one of the hand-picked destinations for the Christmas Special of the popular Mortimer and White House ‘Gone Fishing’ programme, as seen on the BBC. We planned the entire trip for the famous comedy duo and their film crew. To this day, it’s one of their most popular episodes, with over four million viewers from the UK alone. If you’d like to learn more, you can read all the details about their trip here: Mortimer & Whitehouse Christmas Special.
Visit the tour pages:
Vesteralen Sea Fishing
Guided Vesteralen Sea Fishing
Camp Steinfjord – Senja, Northern Norway
Camp Steinfjord in Norway is situated on the dramatic northeastern side of the famous island of Senja, and thanks to its location, it’s one of our most weatherproof destinations. It’s Cod fishing is some of the best in the country, as it offers some fantastic Skrei fishing during the winter months of the year, with lots of nice-sized resident fish throughout the rest of the year. Steinfjord is exclusive to Sportquest Holidays in the UK and is a modern, forward-thinking sea fishing camp, with everything designed with anglers in mind.
Camp Steinfjord is one of the newest destinations in our sea fishing portfolio and carries a long tradition of fishing, having previously been used as a local fish factory, which offers a clue about the quality of the angling in the region; it was newly refurbished in 2017. It now provides travelling anglers with a range of generous facilities, including comfortable accommodations, premium boats, a seaside restaurant and, of course, some fantastic Cod fishing opportunities
Visit the tour pages:
Camp Steinfjord Sea Fishing
Guided Camp Steinfjord Sea Fishing
We Also Recommend…
If you’re looking for an alternative Cod fishing destination to Norway, we would also recommend Sudureyri, our camp in Iceland. Located on the tip of the 13 km-long Súgandafjörður in the Westfjords, it’s nestled on the North-Western end of the country and offers open access into the North Atlantic Ocean. These nutrient-rich waters are home to some incredible shoals of Cod, and it’s not unusual to enjoy a red-letter day of action-packed fishing.
Visit the tour page:
Cod Fishing In Iceland
