20+ pound, 34" lingcod caught with a handline from a sea kayak

Jason,
still, regardless, that's a nice fish.. hopefully Brian can come up with the estimator and you'lll know for sure.

Awesome!  I dig the handline, I think I am going to have to give it a try.  I think I'll bring a rig out during the ORC and give it a shot.
A fish that big must have made some runs for the bottom, were your gloves smokin?
-Scott

no gloves. not that bad. I don't let them run. as long as I am gaining line, they can't do anything but fly up to my hip, doesn't matter how big they are.

It was like pulling up a truck tire hand over hand.

One of my clients caught his first fish ever in a kayak on the handline on this trip...24" lingcod.

Awesome Ling!!!

My 4 yr. old boy caught his first fish the other day (solo I might add using a Zebco and a rooster tail). It was all of 6 inches; however, he has himself convinced it was a 40lb. monster!!!

I winked at him and told him how important it is to be an "honest" in everything he does in life.  Then I gave him a big hug and said the only time I'd make an allowance for exagerating a bit is when guys get together talking about fish.

He looked very relieved !

I came by the shop to buy a drysuit from you, but you were on this trip! Looks like it was fun! Now it's my turn to catch a fish 

Great trip. Thanks for stopping by! Did you get what you need?

J

Nice Job on the Ling. She's a beauty. How long did it take to pull that baby up with a handline? I'm guessing your clients didn't even see it as they were sleeping.
Eitherway, awesome job!

You bet I got what I needed!  Paul helped me out with a Palm Aleutian. I dig it! Have always wanted a drysuit, not I got one
Now I just need to learn how to fish!

Jason, I beg to differ. Not all of your clients were napping. The only reason you were fishing was you wanted to babysit your non napping client, me. It was a hog to be sure!

Here's that lingcod length-weight chart I promised.  Note that males and females are a bit different with lingcod, but almost all the bigger fish are females.

While I don't have these sorts of charts completely memorized I do find that knowing a few weights for key lengths really helps me estimate fish size.

Brian

Thanks for the chart Brian!

Here's that lingcod length-weight chart I promised.  Note that males and females are a bit different with lingcod, but almost all the bigger fish are females.

While I don't have these sorts of charts completely memorized I do find that knowing a few weights for key lengths really helps me estimate fish size.

Brian

That chart looks pretty good based on my experience.  My self imposed ling minimum is 28"  and the fish in that range I have weighed have been around the 8-10lb range.  Any smaller than that they get light on yield IMO (ave 50%).  Two 28" plus lings will give you a nice bag of fillets.  Anything in the 32" plus range is a quality fish. 38"  and above is a "trophy", especially out of a yak IMO

I think most of the variation in lingcod weight is simply a matter of current gut content.

I think most of the variation in lingcod weight is simply a matter of current gut content.

They have big heads

I think most of the variation in lingcod weight is simply a matter of current gut content.

Or due to sickness/parasites.  Every now and then I catch a really snakey ling.  Does anyone else ever experience this?  Obviously underweight and usually very wormy (to the point that I don't retain them anymore).

-Allen