Fish

Patagonian toothfish (Chilean sea bass)

Merluza negra (bacalao de profundidad)

Dissostichus eleginoides

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

20–60 lb in commercial catches.

Depth

About 150 ft to over 6,000 ft; adults mostly 1,500–6,000 ft.

Best time

Not a sport fish.

Found in

4 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Big, heavy, dark gray-brown to black fish with a large head, a big mouth with rows of sharp teeth, large pale eyes and two separate dorsal fins.
Typical size: 20–60 lb in commercial catches.
Maximum size: About 7 ft and over 200 lb.
Diet: Fish, squid and crustaceans.
Behavior: A long-lived, slow-growing deep-water fish; adults live far down the continental slope in near-freezing water.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Patagonia, Falkland Islands, Northern & Central Chile and Southern Brazil, Uruguay & Argentina. The continental slopes off southern Chile and Argentina, around the Falklands and South Georgia, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Habitat: The continental slopes off southern Chile and Argentina, around the Falklands and South Georgia, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Depth: About 150 ft to over 6,000 ft; adults mostly 1,500–6,000 ft.
Fishing depth: Commercial longlines on the deep slope.
Best season: All year (commercial).
Best time: Not a sport fish.
Best tides: Not important at these depths.
Best weather / conditions: Southern Ocean storms limit fishing.

What to tie on and what to throw.

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

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

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: The continental slopes off southern Chile and Argentina, around the Falklands and South Georgia, and other sub-Antarctic islands.
Rig up: Commercial longline gear. Commercial gear.
Pick your bait: Squid and fish on commercial longlines. Lures: None.
Fish it: Taken by licensed commercial longliners; a rare catch for deep-drop anglers off southern Chile and Argentina.
Time it: Not a sport fish. Not important at these depths.

Fishing techniques: Taken by licensed commercial longliners; a rare catch for deep-drop anglers off southern Chile and Argentina.
BigJoe's tip: When buying 'Chilean sea bass', look for a sustainability label — illegal catches were a big problem in the past.
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: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Rich, buttery, white meat sold as Chilean sea bass — excellent roasted, pan-seared or grilled.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp teeth.
Regulations: Strictly managed with quotas, observers and catch documents to stop illegal fishing; buy toothfish from certified, legal fisheries. A commercial deep-sea fish: catches are set by quotas (in the Southern Ocean, by CCAMLR) and taken by licensed longline boats. Recreational anglers almost never catch it.
Conservation: Pirate fishing nearly wiped out some stocks in the 1990s; strict management has helped them recover.

Tap an area to open its fishing map.

Sources & photo credits