I'm just back from a trip to Seward, Ak.

I was targeting big lingcod and caught one that will, if certified, become the new IGFA 16 pound test line record. The current record is 55 lbs. This hog was 62.7 lbs.

Six of us landed more than 100 lings between 30 and 50 pounds. Most were released. Seward has IMHO the best lingcod fishing in the world!

Wow, that thing is huge. I don't think I would get my face that close to that mouth. Must have some sore arms after that trip. Sounds like a lot of fun.

WOW! 100 hog lings for 6 of ya! You guys really put a hurting on that deepwater fishery.

Aren't you the Outdoor writer that is always preaching to save the gene pool and stuff? That fish won't eat well and it sure looks like a fat female.

Wow!
Who's holding who?
There's one to tell the grandkids about.

Pissingman:

Yes I do advocate the release of most big lingcod, as the ones over 25 pounds are all females. I have practiced what I preach for many years. I wonder how many have been saved by my efforts to let folks know about the value of releasing the big ones? We DID release almost all the fish we caught. That was in the original post. Did you choose that or just not bother to read the entire post?

The fish in the photo will absolutely be eaten. I had some for dinner tonight. It was excellent

Do you think that a fishery where six anglers hook up instantly every time they drop a line is in trouble, or are you perhaps a tiny bit jealous?

I knew when I posted this that someone would want to attack. Congratulations for being first.

Congratulations on the big fish. I am curious to know how long it took to bring this behemoth to the net or gaff on 16 # line?

Hopefully, the balance of the 100 that were released were caught on gear more "sporty" for the sake of the released fish.

Since this fish is obviously now dead, I hope you get your name in the record books.

Wow that sucker had to put up one heck of a fight. My biggest ling is 30lbs and it was a battle roy al. Yours dwarfs it. Congrats Dave.

Kris

Santiago: The fish took about ten minutes to bring to the net. (With slow steady preassure they come in fairly readliy, perhaps less stressfull than a huge yankfest on Spectra.)

Most of the guys on the boat were using 80 lb Spectra. I honestly do not believe that any of the fish we released were harmed in any way. Lingcod are extreamly tough fish, and unlike rockfish can be released even when caught in deep water. We got ours in water ranging from 145 to 190 feet deep. We uses Scampi Jigs.

One did lose its lunch however. My friend hooked what I beleive was the largest fish of the day. After about 30 seconds he came off, but there was still some weigh on the line. My friend reeled in a rockfsih that was partially digested. He apparently snatched it right out of the lingcods mouth.

Probably the most amazing thing we saw was a longcod that must have weighed 80 pounds, follwing a 40 pounder we had hooked.

Many of the fish we landed had fresh scars. Lingcod will often attmpt to eat fish larger than themselves. I would love to see what goes on down there.

Judging from how many we werer able to hook there must be an awful lot of them down there.

nice fish, mr vedder. i always wanted to catch a fish with a bigger beer belly than me

Mr. Vedder,

I have read many of your articles and have always respected your opinions and thoughts on fishing.

I am sorry to say but you have lost much credibility with your post and response to Phishingman. He posts a legitimate question to you and you respond (defensively) with an insult and your justification for killing the magnificent breeder Lingcod.

We all live by the decisions we make and suffer/reap the results karmically. I am an avid diver and have seen many Lings over 40 lbs. that I could have shot. I choose to not shoot these fish because I know there importance to the gene pool. I make it my practice to only shoot fish 15 lbs and under and only from the coast. I also preach this to fellow divers and fisherman.

I am sorry to make more of an issue of this then really needs be but it is not right to call someone else out and insult them, but not take the heat you deserve. Out of 100 Lings you could have chosen to harvest a smaller one. As a former flyfishing flyout guide in Alaska I also know about the many fine taxidermists that can make mounts of these fish without the need to harvest them.

We need all wild breeders period. Alaska, Idaho, Washington or Florida... Don't make a difference where they are or how "healthy" the fishery is, we need them all!

Again, I realize you have done much for spreading the word about C & R but the kettle is still black.

Ling

Dave, nice feeesh! Are you wearing chain mail on that arm?

And what is the deal with all the dogging on posts by people that haven't been here a week yet? Does anyone ever actually lurk on a forum to get a feel before posting anymore?

I have been lurking on this board for three years an read it avidly.

Ling

As one who has been dumped on before for catching bigger than other folks ever do, screw all the naysayers. Yeah, we should just stop fishing, caught fish feel pain, ya know. PETA says so, so it MUST BE TRUE. Nice fish.

Dave, I do think that fish has a bigger gut than you.

Dave, I was having my usual conversation with my boss after my "fishing weekend", I had mentioned that a friend of mine had done well on Ling's and had trouble getting at other bottom fish because they were so aggressive that day.....and he proceeded to tell me a story of a Ling he had caught way back when that pushed 70lbs. Now...he seems to be a very truthful person to me but i'm afraid to show him this picture and call him on his story....he told me that there were pictures of his fish and it took three guys to hoist it up on a hook. Wow...what a fish..... How is the quality of a fish that big??

Louis F.

Anyone care for some popcorn? Looks like we might be here awhile.

PS. Dave, I'd certainly understand if you don't have room after your ample ling cod dinner.

And not to digress from our genteel discussion at hand, but was the beast grilled with a burre butter sauce and lemon or poached in paper with bay shrimp and a lovely pouilly fuisse?

Signed,
Ling Envy

Well Vedder I certainly didn't attack you as you claim and your response says a lot about you.

I just happen to believe that you should pratice what you preach.

Are you having wild steelhead for dinner tomorrow?

Lots of butter, a little salt.

Oh yeah DV, nice fish too.

Ling Diver:

You have a point, but not a very strong one. I may have been a bit too defensive, but that was the direct result of an attack, which I felt was unwarranted.

The fact is that this fishery is extraordinarily healthy. One more fish would make absolutely zero difference. Almost every fish we hooked was a big female. We all wondered where the heck are the all the small males. Maybe these behemoths mamas ate them?

One time we drifted more than a mile and were still catching huge lings with every drop. There must be a staggering p[opulation of lingcod there.

Yes I could have released that fish and thus not had a chance at a record I have been chasing for more than 20 years.

I am proud of the catch and feel absolutely no guilt over killing her. I have voluntarily released many fish like her over the years. I would never kill a fish like that unless I was certain there were abundant numbers to replace her. I feel its okay to take one from a really healthy population. If you feel otherwise you should not kill one. It’s a choice we all need to make for ourselves.

The only way to assure no adverse effect would be a total closure, which to me makes no sense especially when the population is huge and a commercial season is allowed, as it is in Seward.

Dogfish beat me to it!

I was gonna say, "Who has the bigger belly?" :p

Congratulations on your tremendous catch Dave.
I think i'm smelling a bit of jealousy, but that popcorn sure does smell a whole lot better, can I have some popcorn too KingSalmon?