Any Seasoned Lingcod Fisherman On Here?

[highside74]

I want to try Ling fishing and have some questions about tides. With big changes in tides what is to big to bother going and if it is say plus 11 to minus 3 can you just just pick one tide and hit the last 2 and first 2 hours around the tide and be productive?

[EnglishSetter]

Can't say as I'm a seasoned WA ling cod guy, but have done a lot of shallow cod fishing elsewhere.  Fish don't really care about tide, they care about current.  A change in current (tide) is generally a good thing.

[fishngamereaper]

Unless you have a "hole" big tides are fine. Drifting for lings is really productive, just keep your gear off bottom. We catch lings all the time trolling for salmon so speed over bottom isn't an issue.
Tidal flow isn't always a given direction, depending on location. If you go to an area with other boats watch them for a minute before dropping in. To many people roll into a new spot and more often than not drop in front of someone's drift..

[trophyhunt]

Lings are my favorite fish to eat and catch, so fun.  My cousin and I used to fish for them every year at neah, like other said, just keep it off the bottom but hit the bottom consistently to know you are close. If you hook a bass and it feels like it went to a snag, ling on!  IF you have a ling on your bass, don't lift him out of the water, get the net under him!

[Bullkllr]

I think a lot depends on where you are fishing. Open water reefs and banks might fish better one direction or the other but are generally less affected by larger swings. It may be tougher to stay down deep when you have a big tide and esp. adding wind. High current area like the Narrows are very tough when the tide is ripping; except on the low exchanges you basically have to fish around the slacks.

[pickardjw]

I'm in the same boat (figuratively of course ). Was thinking about trying for them for the first time on Saturday in 13 or 11. Planning to catch some sand dabs in the morning, then fish through slack.

Would be nice to pick up a cabezon too. Make washing the boat a little more worth it!

[salmosalar]

Use the deep zoom app. It will show you current direction and speed. You can plan your spots based on those 2 things.

Try to fish so that you are dropping off of a ledge, reef etc. If you are going up it, you will lose gear. Dropping off of it is where I catch most fish.

Fish hit on the drop. It's always OK to reel up and redrop, especially if you have lotst touch with your gear.

[Fidelk]

Fished Northern California in 200-400 foot water over a rocky bottom. You lose a lot of jigs, etc. on those rocks.

Fished out of La Push in 600-700 foot water, over what must be a sandy or gravel bottom.......lots of lings and halibut and never lost any gear. Mostly only used a 28oz. jig.

Both places, 30 miles out......not aware of any current/tides issues.

[Fidelk]

Go to about the 4 minute point.......and check out how lingcod like to concentrate. If you hit one of these "holes/nests", you will remember it for a long time.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pacific+halibut+in+the+ocean+series&&view=detail&mid=79C1394C1EAC33671FE779C1394C1EAC33671FE7&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dpacific%2520halibut%2520in%2520the%2520ocean%2520series%26form%3DSWAUA2

[EnglishSetter]

Lings are my favorite fish to eat and catch, so fun.  My cousin and I used to fish for them every year at neah, like other said, just keep it off the bottom but hit the bottom consistently to know you are close. If you hook a bass and it feels like it went to a snag, ling on!  IF you have a ling on your bass, don't lift him out of the water, get the net under him!

Hitchhikers are always fun.

But I'm a gaff guy.

[Fidelk]

Lings are my favorite fish to eat and catch, so fun.  My cousin and I used to fish for them every year at neah, like other said, just keep it off the bottom but hit the bottom consistently to know you are close. If you hook a bass and it feels like it went to a snag, ling on!  IF you have a ling on your bass, don't lift him out of the water, get the net under him!

Hitchhikers are always fun.

But I'm a gaff guy.

And always keep a lings head under water until you get it gaffed.......gaff the hitchhiker first.

[EnglishSetter]

Lings are my favorite fish to eat and catch, so fun.  My cousin and I used to fish for them every year at neah, like other said, just keep it off the bottom but hit the bottom consistently to know you are close. If you hook a bass and it feels like it went to a snag, ling on!  IF you have a ling on your bass, don't lift him out of the water, get the net under him!

Hitchhikers are always fun.

But I'm a gaff guy.

And always keep a lings head under water until you get it gaffed.......gaff the hitchhiker first.

True. 

I have had them let go and come right back to their lunch.  Ferocious *censored*s at times.

[highside74]

Go to about the 4 minute point.......and check out how lingcod like to concentrate. If you hit one of these "holes/nests", you will remember it for a long time.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pacific+halibut+in+the+ocean+series&&view=detail&mid=79C1394C1EAC33671FE779C1394C1EAC33671FE7&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dpacific%2520halibut%2520in%2520the%2520ocean%2520series%26form%3DSWAUA2

Wow that is a lot of Lings!

[Fidelk]

The largest ling I ever caught was a hitchhiker that had chomped down on a 5 lb. rockfish......got it on deck with the rockfish still in it's mouth.......after awhile the ling had swallowed the rockfish, which was found later in it's stomach with all of the skin and scales dissolved......dead but still digesting. Hitchhikers will usually spit out the fish when they either see the boat or hit the surface.......I think the one I caught had partially swallowed the rockfish which flared it's dorsal spines, effectively "hooking" the fish and it was unable to spit it out. Interesting world out there.

[Crunchy]

Pipe jigs fellas.  Lings on pipe jigs is some fun.  Watch out for the 12/0 treble hooks though.