Non-Fly Puget Sound Lingcod

[SeaRunner]

Live bait is best IMO, but I have caught several Puget sound lings on leadheads and plastics, sometimes tipped with strips of bait, sometimes just scent. Don't jerk them, just swim them.

 

[Chucker]

Anyone have success with dead bait for Lings in the sound? Tbh live bait makes me a little sad haha. I know cut plug purple label slays in WCVI

Herring works, but I don’t like to use them because the level of rockfish bycatch with herring is way higher than with sand dabs or big swimbaits.

 

[Irafly]

Bobber fishing for lingcod??? Paging @Irafly

Works great! Size 12 Chromy Chironomid under a slip indicator in 100’ of water, freaking money!

 

[Jacob Watrous]

Works great! Size 12 Chromy Chironomid under a slip indicator in 100’ of water, freaking money!
View attachment 153078

And a blue one at that!

 

[Yardus]

Public service on how to and not to hold a Ling. Obviously most of you already know this. I was informed on the proper grab but I have always been partial to learning things the hard way

@Irafly Yes!


@Yardus No!!! Notice the blood running down my left hand. It's not the Lings.

 

[speedbird]

Got out for the last day- live bait kept escaping and had no hits on it. Had a really nice grab on a large sculpin swim bait/jighead but he got off. I think he just bit the tail and missed the hook

 

[the_chemist]

Im actually a bit concerned based on experience and declining positive reports about overharvest this year. Seems like they got hard to target as the season went on.

 

[Chucker]

Yeah, kind of sucked this year.

 

[Vandelay Industries]

It was a tough year for sure.

 

[Smalma]

Have been concern for a number of years in central sound that the populations large females (from the protection provided by the slot limit) are aging out and recruitment may fall as a result.

WDFW has long been reluctant to provide central sound specific ling cod regulation protection. They consider the central lings to be just part of the larger population. That of course ignores the intense pressure the limited ling habitat in central sound receives.

Curt

 

[speedbird]

Man Puget sound lingcod is frustrating. Even more so when you come back to the marina and your neighbor is complaining about “only” catching an oversized. Took home some fish and chips that were too big to be bait though. And enjoyed some spectacular whale watching.