Hake Identification Guide
Identify this slender, barbel-less groundfish by its two dorsal fins and large toothy mouth.
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Key identification features
- Long, slender, torpedo-shaped body distinct from the stockier true cods
- Large mouth with prominent teeth and a projecting lower jaw
- Two dorsal fins - the first short and triangular, the second long and low, running nearly to the tail
- No chin barbel, unlike cod, haddock, or pollock
- Silvery-grey to blue-grey back with a pale belly
- Slightly forked tail fin
Common look-alikes
- Pollock: also lacks a strong barbel but has three separate dorsal fins instead of hake's two, along with a stockier build
- Atlantic or Pacific Cod: both have a chin barbel and three dorsal fins, readily separating them from the barbel-less, two-finned hake
- Other regional hake species: best told apart by subtle fin position and geographic range, since overall body shape is very similar across the genus
Where you'll see one
Open continental shelf and slope waters worldwide in temperate seas, often schooling well off the bottom at moderate to deep depths, more free-swimming than bottom-hugging cod relatives.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell hake from pollock or cod?
Count the dorsal fins: hake has just two, while pollock and cod have three. Hake also lacks any chin barbel, which pollock nearly lacks too but cod clearly has.
What's the easiest single feature to spot a hake by?
Its second dorsal fin is unusually long and low, running almost to the tail, a shape not shared by cod or pollock's more evenly sized fins.