Ling Cod conservation?

[wildmanyeah]

I am so done with feeling guilty for every fish we take. Who cares of someone take a 40 plus lingcod.

Your only allowed a max amount per year and it closed half a year. We also have Rca.

That is good enough in my opinion.

Yes and lings are territorial so a rock pile that has one or two big ones may support 20-30 smaller ones and giving the fact people generally prefer smaller ones I don’t think someone that retains a big one should have any ill will thrown their way.

 

[Poppa Reelie]

I have caught some monster lings and after keeping one way back now always toss them back...love the juniors, large ones absolutely have high frequency of worms - as do average sometimes. I also agree, no ill thrown anyones way who keeps a beast.

 

[brutus]

I have caught some monster lings and after keeping one way back now always toss them back...love the juniors, large ones absolutely have high frequency of worms - as do average sometimes. I also agree, no ill thrown anyones way who keeps a beast.

Worms are harmless once they are cooked, just a bit gross when you see them coming out of the slabs , I’ve killed a few over the last week 10-15 lbs, no worms and great eaters

 

[navanax]

Lingcod over 1m are female. I agree the larger ones aren't as tasty. Males guard the nest after spawning (late Dec to March). I've seen them on nests as late as May. So while I personally prefer to let big females breed, they still need the smaller males to guard eggs. One of the reasons for the WA Puget Sound season (starts June 1 for a measly 6 weeks) and slot limit (26-36").

 

[agentaqua]

Heard a rumour the other day that the offshore trawlers catch many of those female lingcod that move offshore off the shoals - as the males stay & guard the egg masses.