- Specimens recorded
- 130 (2000–2025)
- Years on record
- 2000–2021
- Top venue by specimens
- Courtmacsherry
- Current specimen threshold
- 7.00kg (15lb 7oz)
- Irish record
- 19.05kg (42lb 0oz)
Cod in Ireland
Cod (Gadus morhua) is one of the classic Irish boat and shore sea species — a heavy-bodied predator with a distinctive barbel under the chin, historically abundant around Irish coasts and still a prized catch, particularly from wrecks and deep reef ground. Cod stocks in the wider Irish and Celtic Sea area have faced significant pressure over recent decades, making a big Irish cod a genuinely notable catch today.
Irish cod fishing is now concentrated around specific productive grounds rather than being a reliable, widespread inshore species the way it once was, with the south coast producing the bulk of specimen fish.
Cod feed opportunistically on the bottom and are most associated in Ireland with wreck and reef fishing rather than open sand marks.
When Cod Fish in Ireland
ISFC specimens peak in July, June, and August — summer wreck and reef fishing, when cod are most reliably found on productive southern grounds.
Based on ISFC specimen records — reflects where anglers fish and submit claims, not necessarily where the species is most abundant.
Where Cod Fish Best
Venue rankings below come from ratified specimen submissions, not scientific stock surveys — popular, well-fished venues will always show more specimens than remote or lightly-fished ones holding the same fish.
Courtmacsherry and Kinsale dominate the Irish cod specimen record, with Cork Harbour also contributing — reflecting the south coast's role as Ireland's most productive remaining cod ground.
See every fishing.ie venue for cod — ISFC-ranked or not — in the full directory below.
Size and Specimens
A specimen cod is a serious, increasingly hard-earned fish given the pressure on cod stocks generally — the current threshold represents a genuinely large individual by contemporary Irish standards.
Based on ISFC specimen and threshold records — reflects where anglers fish and submit claims, not necessarily where the species is most abundant.
How to Catch Cod
Bottom-fished bait — squid, mackerel strip, or lugworm — fished hard on the seabed over wrecks or reef ground is the standard method for boat cod.
Pirks and heavy jigs worked close to structure can also take cod, particularly over wrecks holding baitfish.
Cod tend to hold tight to structure rather than roaming open ground, so precise positioning over a wreck or reef feature matters more than blind bottom fishing.
Given pressure on stocks, many boat anglers now practise selective retention or full catch-and-release for cod even where legally permitted.
Rules and Conservation
No state licence is required for sea angling from shore or boat in the Republic of Ireland.
No licence is required for sea angling in Northern Ireland — DAERA rod licences apply to freshwater and game/coarse fishing, not sea fishing.
Cod Venues in Ireland
10 more waters with ISFC specimens (not yet on fishing.ie)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a specimen cod in Ireland?
The current ISFC threshold is 7kg (roughly 15.5lb) — a genuinely large cod given the pressure on stocks in recent decades.
Best time of year for cod?
Summer, particularly June through August, based on the ISFC specimen record — mostly wreck and reef boat fishing.
Where's the best cod fishing in Ireland?
The south coast, especially around Courtmacsherry and Kinsale, dominates the specimen record.
Do I need a licence for cod fishing?
No — sea angling from shore or boat doesn't require a licence in Ireland.