puget sound lingcod

[Dustin07]

I've dove and speared my share. Last season when the put int he slot limit for divers I put the speargun away. Sorry, not going to take a chance by misjudging a fish by an inch and showing up at the dock with it. Also, don't want to bring one up and then chuck it if it is not legal sized.

good point

[carpsniperg2]

HECK YES! I am going to go out for my first lings on the 1st when I am up hunting for my spring bear Should be a blast!

[pjb3]

I'm going!!!!!!!!!!

[jeepster]

"jigging" aka " mooching" (but by my books "bouncing-off-the-bottom") a 6-10 oz weight with a 5/0 6/0 salmon leader hooked up to a horse-herring has produced 85%  of my monster "big uglys"......... ive seen more lingcod caught on cut plug herring............coincidently, caught "blackmouth fishing" than any gear combo ever........... screw any other rig........ heavy weights, heavy duty lines/hooks, and a single fresh horse herring out produce any other rig. it doesnt matter....... that rig is KING, whether it be salmon (of any species), lingcod, halibut, or rockfish..... a single weight and a fresh herring is THE MOST PRODUCTIVE RIG for ALL OF NORTH AMERICA......

bounce a 9oz round ball weight connected to a heavy duty salmon leader with a large plug-cut herring-riged leader off of the bottom........................ halibut, big-uglys, blackmouth....... its a foolproof rig

hell, if you want state-reccord sized halibut/lingcod............... freeze a whole pink salmon and use moster sized hooks..... rig the same as a horse herring...... if somebody is crazy enough to take that challenge... and something takes it, hold onto for dear life......... if you bring that fish to the boat..................... you might have  new world reccord.....

[PolarBear]

 

[Dustin07]

I'm tempted to get a hotel for a night or two up north and just park the boat up there with me for a couple days instead of the 3hr drive at 3am.  Any good love-shacks you guys know of near a decent boat launch?

[lokidog]

Dustin,  Washington Park has campsites and a boat launch, the sites are first come.  The state or county has a boat launch and maybe campground on the north end of Whidbey as well, a bit farther run but a lot of people fish around Deception Pass.  The Islander Hotel in Anacortes is near the Cap Sante boat launch, but that is a long run out to fishing areas.

Jeepster, 9 oz of weight is a bit much for here in the sound since there will likely be a 150 or so foot max depth for lings again this year (unless you are fishing at the peak of large tidal exchanges).  I am actually kind of surprised that the state allows the use of bait since due to the tiny slot limit, most lings will have to be released and all rockfish as well.  I was not saying bait does not work well, but there are tradeoffs, and personally, I have caught more fish on jigs than bait and I always know if I have a lure on the end of my line after yanking it out of the rocks a couple of times.  I also have never had to deal with dogfish having only hooked two in five years of fishing out here and one was snagged.

[PolarBear]

 

[pjb3]

I go around deception pass, anyone want to go? I have room on my boat

[carpsniperg2]

Good looking boat!

[blacktailcrzy]

"jigging" aka " mooching" (but by my books "bouncing-off-the-bottom") a 6-10 oz weight with a 5/0 6/0 salmon leader hooked up to a horse-herring has produced 85%  of my monster "big uglys"......... ive seen more lingcod caught on cut plug herring............coincidently, caught "blackmouth fishing" than any gear combo ever........... screw any other rig........ heavy weights, heavy duty lines/hooks, and a single fresh horse herring out produce any other rig. it doesnt matter....... that rig is KING, whether it be salmon (of any species), lingcod, halibut, or rockfish..... a single weight and a fresh herring is THE MOST PRODUCTIVE RIG for ALL OF NORTH AMERICA......

bounce a 9oz round ball weight connected to a heavy duty salmon leader with a large plug-cut herring-riged leader off of the bottom........................ halibut, big-uglys, blackmouth....... its a foolproof rig

hell, if you want state-reccord sized halibut/lingcod............... freeze a whole pink salmon and use moster sized hooks..... rig the same as a horse herring...... if somebody is crazy enough to take that challenge... and something takes it, hold onto for dear life......... if you bring that fish to the boat..................... you might have  new world reccord.....

tho might be productive in some areas here in the sound a sand shark will swallow it as soon as it hits the bottom and after you fight one of those dogs you have to change your leader line and then if for some crzy reason a dog fish dose not pick it up the baits are only good for a few drops then you have to change and i feel that the one in the water the longest has the best chance so thats why i stick with plastics.

[groundhog]

Its all good. In thirty years of guiding in Southeast Alaska I have seen Lingcod eat just about everything under the sun including smaller lings and even salmon that were on a line. If they see it and think they can get it down they will probably eat it. My favorite artificial lure technique would have to be casting and jigging a chrome Crocodile spoon in and around structure. Lings are attracted to the flash of anything chrome.

[longknife]

I have always had great luck with rootbeer color jigs. Something about the dark color sets them off.
Went to Alaska 4 yrs ago,on stayed on a boat for 3 days out of Homer. The lingcod fishing was the funnest! Everyone was loosing their jigs, mine was skipping perfictly in the rocks. After i cought about 25 lings, i cought the 57" bad boy! Could easily put my head in its mouth! heres a couple pics of the bad boy

One of last years halibut days,,BTW, best way to handle a ling is fingers in the eye socket!

[jackmaster]

I'd like to. have boat and gear, but have never fished lings before. thinking of getting a guide for my first trip.

well since i dont fish anymore i can give up a spot, if you put in at day island marina, head north under the narrows bridge stay kind of close to the east bank and when you get to marker 8 on the railroad tracks shut her down and fish the 60ft to 100 ft line, there has been great ling in there in the past a bit snaggy, or head to neah bay, go out to blue dot or swiftsure there is awesome ling fishn out there, good luck

[longknife]

I also make the ultimate ling killers! If you know what pipe jigs do in saltwater, lings go crazy for them as well! Heres a pic of my product.

PM me if your intrested.