Fish

Golden redfish (Norway redfish)

Gallineta nórdica

Sebastes norvegicus

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

3–8 lb.

Depth

300–1,500 ft.

Best time

Daylight.

Found in

3 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A big, bright orange-red rockfish with large eyes, a spiny dorsal fin, bony ridges on the head and a short, blunt spine on the chin area.
Typical size: 3–8 lb.
Maximum size: About 3 ft and over 30 lb.
Diet: Krill, shrimp, herring, capelin and small fish.
Behavior: A slow-growing, very long-lived fish (over 50 years) that lives in schools over deep banks and gives birth to live young.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Scandinavia & Iceland (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Arctic & North Atlantic Islands and United Kingdom & Ireland. Deep banks and fjord slopes of Norway, Iceland, the Faroes and Greenland; rare farther south.
Habitat: Deep banks and fjord slopes of Norway, Iceland, the Faroes and Greenland; rare farther south.
Depth: 300–1,500 ft.
Fishing depth: On or just above the bottom.
Best season: All year; summer for most angling trips.
Best time: Daylight.
Best tides: Light current.
Best weather / conditions: Calm days offshore.

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: Deep banks and fjord slopes of Norway, Iceland, the Faroes and Greenland; rare farther south.
Rig up: Heavy deep-drop rod with an electric or strong manual reel. 80–100 lb mono.
Pick your bait: Fish strips, squid and shrimp on multi-hook rigs. Lures: Pirks and baited flashers.
Fish it: Drop a baited multi-hook rig to the bottom on the deep edges of banks and fjords, lift it a few feet, and wait for the steady pulls of a school.
Time it: Daylight. Light current.

Fishing techniques: Drop a baited multi-hook rig to the bottom on the deep edges of banks and fjords, lift it a few feet, and wait for the steady pulls of a school.
BigJoe's tip: Redfish come up from the deep with bulging eyes and swim bladders and can't be released; if you're over your limit, move away from the school.
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: Excellent: firm, sweet white fillets, great baked, fried or poached.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp, mildly venomous dorsal spines and head spines; handle with gloves.
Regulations: Redfish stocks are low, and Norway protects redfish during part of the year; Iceland and Greenland have their own rules. Check the current rules before you keep any. 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: Very long-lived and slow to recover. Take only a few.

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Sources & photo credits