The Atlantic Cod is probably the most iconic fish you can pull out of Skårland Fjord. It is the species the Norwegian Sea is famous for, it takes both bait and lures, and it fights with a bit more weight behind it than the Haddock that shares its water. I landed one at 11.017 kg and 107.1 cm for 7,227 coins. This guide covers where it holds, the heavier braid rig I caught it on, the bait, and one honest note about a piece of tackle you do not strictly need.
Why Fish the Atlantic Cod?
Mine came in as a Common at 11 kg and paid 7,227 coins with 1,731 XP. That is a modest return next to the sharks and the sturgeon, but it is a touch more coin than the Haddock from the same trip, and the cod grows a lot bigger. The game notes it usually runs around a metre but can pass 1.5 metres and 50 kg, so there is a real Trophy and Unique ceiling here worth chasing once you know the spot.
The bigger reason to fish it is that the cod is versatile and forgiving. It strikes natural bait and artificial lures, it holds across a wide depth range, and the game itself calls it accessible even to beginners. If you are learning the fjord, it is a satisfying fish that gives you a genuine fight without demanding the extreme heavy tackle the apex fish need.
For the full map see my Skårland Fjord setup guide. The cod shares the northern Ranvika ground with the Haddock, so those two pair naturally in one session. The heavier earners are covered in my Porbeagle Shark and European Sea Sturgeon guides.
About the Atlantic Cod
Atlantic Cod is one of the best known fish in northern waters and a hugely important commercial species. In the game it is usually about a metre long but can grow past 1.5 metres and 50 kg. It is found over rocky or sandy bottoms at depths of roughly 20 to 200 metres, feeding on herring, flatfish, worms, molluscs, and crustaceans. It stays active around schools of baitfish, which is why it can be located with good sonar and why it responds so well to both natural and artificial offerings.
That wide depth range and willingness to strike lures is what makes cod fishing beginner friendly, in the game’s own words. It comes in Common, Trophy, and Unique size classes. My fish was a Common, so the Trophy and Unique versions are still out there for anyone willing to put in more sessions on the spot.
Where to Catch Atlantic Cod at Skårland Fjord
This one comes out of the northern water off Ranvika Marina. My buoy sat at roughly -3195, 2539, with my cast working around -2233, 2000. If that first coordinate looks familiar, it should: it is essentially the same mark I fish for Haddock. The two species share this ground, which is the whole appeal. Anchor here once, run a bottom rig, and you will pull cod and haddock from the same session without moving the boat.
Because cod holds across such a broad depth range, you have some room to experiment here rather than needing one precise spot. Drop a marker buoy so you can hold position, work the bottom, and let the rig settle. This northern ground is a long way from both the southern sturgeon water and the eastern Porbeagle water, so do not confuse it with those.
Timing: The Late Night Bite
I took this cod at 02:40, Late night, in heavy weather at 3°C air and 6°C water with a strong southerly around 9.8 m/s. It came in the same window as my Haddock, which is no coincidence, because the map activity chart for this session climbed steeply through the night and peaked in the small hours around 01:00 to 05:00.
The practical takeaway is that the northern Ranvika ground fishes best at night for both cod and haddock, so a single late night trip covers both species efficiently. That chart is generalised bite rate rather than a cod specific graph, so read it as a pointer, but my results lined up with it. Use Forward Time to reach the window, and never press Next Day, since it sells your whole storage.
The Rig: Braid and Steel Leader
Here is exactly what landed the fish. Note that this is a different rod from my lighter Haddock and Meagre workhorse. I ran this on a braid main line with a steel leader:
- Rod: Chillarc 180 SE
- Reel: Arcspark 2W 22000 SE
- Main line: Glowing Braid 0.51 mm, 250 m spooled
- Leader: Njörinvik Steel Leader 0.54
- Hook: Tungsten Golden Hook #7/0
- Sinker: Tungsten Sinker 375 g
- Bait: Lesser Sand Eel
Braid here gives you thinner diameter for the same strength and better feel at depth, which helps you register a cod bite in deep water. The #7/0 hook is a step up from the small #5/0 I use for haddock, matching a fish that runs heavier and can reach 50 kg at the top end.
The Steel Leader Is Insurance, Not a Requirement
Being honest here: the Njörinvik Steel Leader is not something Atlantic Cod actually demands. Cod are not a toothy fish, and a fluorocarbon leader will land them perfectly well. I run steel on this rod because it doubles as an all-rounder in mixed water, where a toothier species might grab the bait, and steel means I do not get cut off if it does. If you are only after cod, a fluorocarbon leader is completely fine and arguably a little more discreet. Do not think you need to buy steel to catch this fish.
Bait and Lures
Lesser Sand Eel is what I used and it is on the cod’s preferred list. It is a Med Heavy bait that also covers Coalfish, Haddock, Whiting, Common Ling, and several other cold water species, so a pack of it works hard across a mixed Skårland session. That overlap is why the same bait keeps appearing in my Ranvika guides.
Beyond that, the cod also favours Finger Mullets, Scaled Sardines, Atlantic Herring, Black Lugworms, Crab, Peeler Crab, Gulf Shrimp, and Giant Tiger Prawn. The real difference from the sturgeon and shark is that cod will happily hit lures too. If you would rather jig than sit on bait, it takes Nordic Pilkers, Fish Pilkers, Bucktails, Saltwater Spoons, Saltwater Twisters, Saltwater Slugs, Baby Halibuts, and softbaits. That makes it a good species to fish actively when you want to keep moving rather than wait.
Landing the Fish
An 11 kg cod pulls harder than the haddock but is still a manageable fish on this rod. It has more shoulder than its size suggests, so keep steady pressure and let the rod do the work rather than horsing it in. There is no need for the crane at this weight; it comes up to hand. A bigger Trophy or Unique cod would test you more, which is a good reason to have the drag set sensibly before you settle in.
Common Mistakes
Buying a steel leader you do not need. Cod have no teeth to worry about. Fluorocarbon lands them fine. Only run steel if the rod is also your insurance against toothier fish in the same water.
Ignoring lures. Unlike the sturgeon and shark, cod hit artificials well. If bait is slow, switch to a pilker or spoon and fish actively instead of waiting.
Fishing it at the wrong end of the map. The cod holds in the northern Ranvika water, not the southern sturgeon ground or the eastern shark water. Mark the northern spot and stay on it.
Advancing to the next day by accident. That empties your fish storage. Move time forward instead to reach the night bite.
Fishing on an expired licence. I keep the Advanced licence active out here. An expired one only costs you coins in fines.