Lingcod

Allen just knows how to get me postin' up.  

I've caught a 23 or 24 pound ling each of the last several years, and I've released a few of them.  I now have a policy of always releasing them that big - there's so much head on those things, and they're usually females and the most prolific spawners.

Allen just knows how to get me postin' up.  

First pic ... fat 44 inch ling.

Second pic ... skinny (and wormy) 43 inch ling

Third pic ... low 40's ling coughing up a 4-5 pound salmon.  Those are 10/0 hooks and I was using an 18" greenling as bait.  I don't know how that ling could have eaten all that.  But it didn't get that big by fasting.  Notice it is hanging by a thread on the trailer hook.  It took an easy tug to pop her off, but not until I snapped the pic.

Fourth pic ... Troy (Yakonthefly) with 44 inch ling.

Fifth pic ... Troy showing off.

-Allen

Those are some nice Lings!  I've gotta get me one of those!

Those are some nice Lings!  I've gotta get me one of those!

There's always photoshop!

Picture #1 original 23# ling
Picture #2 & #3 -

Speaking of throw back ling size....  Where do ya draw the line?
Do you go ahead and keep your first ever 25lb ling, and then release anything that size later?  

The largest I have ever caught was 36lb right near the rock at PC back in 1994 from a friends Dory.  Took forever to get that pig to the surface.  The mouth was big enough to stick your entire size 13 shoe in sideways.  I forget how long it was, but we had meat up the wazzooo from that fish.  Doubt I'll ever see something that big again out of a kayak in Oregon.  

Those are some nice Lings!  I've gotta get me one of those!

There's always photoshop!

Picture #1 original 23# ling
Picture #2 & #3 -

Nice job, Brian! From now on we'll have a mutual distrust for each others AOTY entries!

- Karl

#2 pic looks pretty good...#3 pic looks pretty photoshoppy...i don't use photoshop so this is from a non users point of view

#2 pic looks pretty good...#3 pic looks pretty photoshoppy...i don't use photoshop so this is from a non users point of view

Whatever....

mine is tiny...my fish is tiny

mine is tiny...my fish is tiny

But it's quite attractive.  I love those golden ones.  

Speaking of throw back ling size....  Where do ya draw the line?
Do you go ahead and keep your first ever 25lb ling, and then release anything that size later? 

I don't try to set standards for others, and I kept plenty of lings over 20 pounds before I started releasing the biggest ones.  I also do lots of video and pics, and I enjoy handling large lings.  So I can document, including weights and measurements, and let them go and have even more fun.  Releasing a big fish is a great rush and something others admire - I don't mind the lack of humility in that.   

My best Yak Ling so far...31.25 inches, i don't have a scale so have no idea how much it weighed, sure was tasty!!

mine is tiny...my fish is tiny

But it's quite attractive.  I love those golden ones.  

Totally agree. I love the coloration in the golden lings. Awesome.

Z

hmmm...and all i thought was "is this thing a mutant or what?"...

I have some giant tomatoes to go with Bsteves big ling.

Speaking of throw back ling size....  Where do ya draw the line?
Do you go ahead and keep your first ever 25lb ling, and then release anything that size later?  

They don't even give you the choice in WA.  Max size limit is 40".  And I like it that way.

-Allen