Fish

Atlantic wolffish (catfish)

Perro del norte (pez lobo)

Anarhichas lupus

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

5–15 lb.

Depth

50–500 ft.

Best time

Daylight.

Found in

11 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A long, eel-like fish with a big blunt head, a long dorsal fin running the whole back, no pelvic fins, and blue-gray to brown sides with 10–15 dark vertical bands. Its mouth is full of big, protruding fangs and crushing molars.
Typical size: 5–15 lb.
Maximum size: About 5 ft and over 40 lb.
Diet: Crabs, whelks, clams, sea urchins and starfish, crushed in its powerful jaws.
Behavior: A slow, bottom-living fish that hides in rock crevices by day. It does not chase fast baits.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Scandinavia & Iceland (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Arctic & North Atlantic Islands, United Kingdom & Ireland, Northern & Central Europe, Russia, Mongolia & Kazakhstan, New Hampshire & Maine, Rhode Island & Massachusetts, Newfoundland & Gaspé, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & PEI, Quebec and Hudson Bay & Labrador. Rocky and stony bottoms in cold water from Norway, Iceland, the Faroes, Greenland and the Barents Sea to Scotland, and from Labrador to Cape Cod.
Habitat: Rocky and stony bottoms in cold water from Norway, Iceland, the Faroes, Greenland and the Barents Sea to Scotland, and from Labrador to Cape Cod.
Depth: 50–500 ft.
Fishing depth: On the bottom.
Best season: Summer in northern Norway and Iceland, where it is a common catch on cod trips.
Best time: Daylight.
Best tides: Slack and slow tides let you keep the bait on the bottom.
Best weather / conditions: Calm days at sea.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Crab, mussels, whelk, prawn, herring or mackerel strips.
Best artificial lures: Rubber shads and jigs tipped with fish strip bounced on the bottom.
Tackle setup: 30 lb class boat rod with a multiplier reel.
Hook size: 4/0–6/0 strong hooks.
Line: 40–50 lb braid.
Leader: 60–80 lb mono; they can bite through light line.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Rig Weight Hooks Bait

As an Amazon Associate, BigJoe earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep this guide free.

Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Rocky and stony bottoms in cold water from Norway, Iceland, the Faroes, Greenland and the Barents Sea to Scotland, and from Labrador to Cape Cod.
Rig up: 30 lb class boat rod with a multiplier reel. 60–80 lb mono; they can bite through light line.
Pick your bait: Crab, mussels, whelk, prawn, herring or mackerel strips. Lures: Rubber shads and jigs tipped with fish strip bounced on the bottom.
Fish it: Drift or anchor over rocky ground and fish a crab or fish bait right on the bottom; lift a jig with bait slowly up and down.
Time it: Daylight. Slack and slow tides let you keep the bait on the bottom.

Fishing techniques: Drift or anchor over rocky ground and fish a crab or fish bait right on the bottom; lift a jig with bait slowly up and down.
BigJoe's tip: When it bites, keep it coming: a wolffish that reaches its rock crevice is very hard to pull out.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Firm, white, sweet meat with a shellfish taste (it eats crabs and clams), great fried, baked or in fish soup. Sold in Iceland and Norway as 'steinbítur' and 'steinbit'.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: The bite is dangerous: its fangs can crush bones and snap at anything nearby. Never put fingers near its mouth; use long pliers and control the head.
Regulations: Listed as a Species of Concern in U.S. waters, where keeping it is prohibited; in Canada it is listed as Special Concern. Norway and Iceland allow it within normal sea fishing rules. Check local rules. Sea fishing is free for visitors in Norway (with a limit on how much fish you can take home) and mostly free in Sweden and Denmark's sea waters with a Danish fishing license; Iceland, Greenland and the Faroes have their own rules, and every lake and river needs a local permit.
Conservation: Wolffish have declined in many areas. Release it carefully where it is protected.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits