north pacific hake
Merluccius productus
Hake that forms schools over the shelf and slope of the North Pacific. It has high commercial value and also turns up on the sport angler's line.
Also called: merluza-do-pacífico-norte, merluza norteña, merluza del Pacífico, north Pacific hake
- maximum
- 83 cm
- record/max.
- 4.2 kg
- depth
- 0–1,000 m
who is the north pacific hake
The North Pacific hake belongs to the family Merlucciidae and reaches 83 cm, weighing up to 4.2 kg. It lives in large schools over the shelf and slope, from 0 to 1,000 m, usually down to 229 m, from Canada to the northern Gulf of California. During spawning, adults move hundreds of miles out to sea. It feeds on fish and invertebrates at night, and is an important prey for sea lions and small cetaceans. It has very high commercial value and is also considered a sport fish.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the north pacific hake.
fun facts
- It is an important prey for sea lions and small cetaceans.
identification
Hake with an elongated body, silvery on the back and whitish on the belly, with a relatively short head. The pectoral fins usually reach the origin of the anal fin or extend past it, and the tail edge is always concave, which helps identify it. It lives in large schools over the shelf and slope, from 0 to 1,000 m, usually down to 229 m.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs only in Mexico, in the North Pacific, over the shelf and slope.
Habitat: Shelf and slope, in schools, from 0 to 1,000 m, usually down to 229 m.
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. Described as a nocturnal feeder that eats fish and invertebrates.
rules for the north pacific hake
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It poses no danger to anglers. As a deep-water fish, rapid ascent causes barotrauma, so release it carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00468, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Merluccius productus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Merluccius productusNames by country and language.