I don't fish in the salt much and have never fished for Lings. I really don't eat fish so I was wondering do they put up much of a fight if a guy just wants to catch and release a few for something to do once and a while?

If you can find a ling hole in water shallower than 60 -70ft try using a bass outfit( 5 - 6ft pole with spincast or spinning reel) you'll have a blast! If CnR stick to artificials like darts or small leadheads with tails & pinch the barbs for easier releases. Good luck!

I dont think the fight is all that great. I would liken their fight to that scene in Finding Nemo, where all the fish swim towards the bottom while they are in that purse seiner's net to break free. Lings just Grab their quarry and want to go back to their resting spot to chew. You might feel a few head shakes, but it's basically a tug-o-war.


Using the term coined by Parker and Bob, it's simply Grocery fishing.

"...pinch the barbs for easier releases...."

You would have to pinch the barbs down regardless in Puget Sound, with the barbless hook requirement for all species except for baitfish.

The fight is non-existant, and there is a lot of hooking and depressurization mortality. From an aesthetics standpoint, I would put Ling fishing near the bottom of the list.

As far as good eating, well, that's another story altogether.

Hey Leadthrower, Not much sport in Ling fishing. But they're excellent table fare though.

finegrain -
Actually ling cod don't have a closed air bladder so they can handle pressure changes well - they can be caught at great depth and still be successfully release - just like salmon.

Rockfish however have a closed bladder and will suffer from the "bends" - the sudden reduced pressure causing the air bladder to expand causing damage and death when brought from the depths.

I find that lings fight well when caught on appropriate size tackle. A 10# ling on steelhead size tackle or a 7/8 weight fly rod give a good account of themselves.

Tight lines
S malma

Hmmmm,
You guys that say they dont fight must be using meat sticks or something.

I use a light steelhead rod with small baitcaster and no more than a 1 1/2 oz lead.

That first initial take when the ling charges out of its hole grabs the bait and heads right back for his hole is enough to rip the rod out of your hand if you're not ready. I've always found that they usually put a pretty good fight right at the beggining and then again as they get close to the boat as well.

Hey, they're no salmon... but they're not your typical wussy rockcod either...

Hell they eat rockcod for dinner!

I stand corrected. I was mistakenly lumping Lings in with the rockfish I caught up in Alaska that came into the boat with their bladders jutting out of their mouths.

You guys dissing rockfish don't know what you're talking about.

Tie a rockfish tail to tail with an equal size smallmouth bass and the rockfish will definitely pull the smallmouth right back into his hidey hole. Among freshwater spiny ray fishers smallmouth are generally regarded as the tops in fight quality, but I'd say rockfish fight better.

Nobody fishes rockfish with size appropriate tackle, thus they get a bum rap as fighters.
Try fishing them with appropriate light tackle and then tell me they don't fight. They don't make spectacular runs like coho or chinook, but they'll pull your string.

I agree with Geoduck.

Dont disagree! The problem is that they dont have much meat on them and with the 1 fish limit (first one caught ) you have to go after the big boys (5-8lbs) for anything resembling a meal and in the inside waters that usually means going deep and that also means big weights needing bigger gear to handle the weights. Dont target rockfish anymore(mission accomplished WDFW) but when we fished the banks in the straits for the big boys we started in 180ft of water needing 12oz and up to get down in the currents you'll encounter out there.

Thanks all

Was looking for a little something to do when I spend time aroung Hat Island (Gedney Island).

Lead thrower, When are you heading out to hat island? Good Luck and catch a monster!!

Not sure, my parents have a place there now and I will be spending more time around that area on weekends.

It absolutely kills me to see some folks "meating" with 2 pounds of lead on a 'But rod for Lings.

Good ole mooching rod for me- plenty of fight in ole Mr. Nasty Mouth.

I agree Parker, they put up a hella fight on a medium rod and 10lb test. And rockcod are awesome to fish for. True, aint no salmon, but nice and spunky and very aggressive.

Desmoines pier is very good for 2-6lb rockcod and lings. A buddy fishing with me hooked a 20+lb ling there, almost broke his salmon pole cuz his drag siezed. Mouth was so big you could put a football in it.

We tie on 3-4" tubes in chartrues/green or brown on 1/4 oz weedless heads, toss them out on the right side on the reef and slowely bump the bottom and they tear it to bits. Lots of fun. The fishing is even better in the marina, if the security guys leave you alone. The rock piles lining the road from anthonys to the big sling launch is excelent. Have even caught salmon in there on tubes. High tide is best.

Parker can't take credit for this term. It's all Bob.

Mmmmm, groceries!

(The thought of, deep-fried, ling is making me hungry!)

Rock cod are quite fun on a 6 wt. They will take streamer patterns from the surface to the bottom. Great fun on the fly rod at Sekiu.

going to the narrows tomorrow, anyone know a few good spots to get some bait of the flat variety?