Ling Cod anyone?

[COUG]

I caught the biggest Ling of my life 2 days before I could legally keep it.  As it turns out the Ling was a potential record book fish.  The current record is 55" and we estimate this guy at 58" and over 80lbs.

Is there anyone out there that would like to do a replica for me?

Coug

[Austrian Hunter]

any pics

[carpsniperg2]

if you have some pics i am sure one of the taxi's on here would be able to do a replica for ya.

[Michelle_Nelson]

OK the problem here is that 99% of the replicas out there are made off of casts from the real fish.  If your fish is bigger than the record chances are there is not a replica available. 

[bowtech721]

ya unfortunetly there may not be a way to get a replica...

[BLKBEARKLR]

Yea what Michelle said, the biggest replica that I know out there is 52 inches.

Going to be hard to find one over that.

Dont know what other taxidermists are but I am 16.00 an inch and you times that by 52 inches that is 832.00 plus tax so it can get pretty spendy.


Best of luck to you.


Joe

[COUG]

Thanks for the replys all.   If anyone one can think of a way to do this please let me know. 

Here is the fish (as it is bending the gaff)



We have reinacted this pose with a measuring tape and it consistenly exceeds the record.

[agchawk]

DAMN! That is a BIG ling!! CONGRATS!

[J Snow73]

Nice fish

[wildmanoutdoors]

Dave Campbell of Tacoma could probably do it. You may be talking a custom rep though. Like getting a 52 and reworking it. Dave is 35 to 47 an inch but its what he does....

[carpsniperg2]

that is a dandy fish. thanks for sharin the pics

[JackOfAllTrades]

I caught the biggest Ling of my life 2 days before I could legally keep it.

For best chances of survival, you should have cut the line while the fish was still in the water. That fish, coming from the depths, then being exposed to air, hung long enough for photos will likely die. Something to do with the stomach and the gills. Even though it swam when you released it, I've been told by biologists in years past that the Lings and other bottom feeders usually die after being brought up to the surface so fast. We pop our ears... They have no way of adjusting to the pressure difference fast enough. -And certainly not after being removed from the water. 

Nice catch though.

-Steve

[h20hunter]

Not to start to big of a debate but I don't think lings are affected by bringing them up from depth. No air bladder to expand. However, being out of water for to long is harmfull to any fish. All said, nice fish. Alaskan waters? Bout the only place you can keep them that big. Hell, about the only place they get that big. I've been a diver for quite awhile and seen some big ones, but not that big.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Unfortunately, this post is incriminating if that is Washington waters.  Knowing what the fish is, knowing that they aren't open yet, and probably knowing that that large of a Ling is not harvestable anyway, then pulling it out of the water for the photo op.

Still...  I'll say Nice Catch.. Without metal leaders and such, it's tough to keep one that big on the line at all. Must have been a good fight. I've caught 25 pound lings in years past that pulled like 40 pound kings coming up from 2-300'.

-Steve

[COUG]

Ya it was out of Seward AK.  The fight was awesome and the good thing is that we were only in 60' of water when he hit.  He had lots of life left so I felt great about the release.  I just wish it was a week later. 

Here is the current Alaska record.  I say at least it was very close...