Kevin Hofer is a Wilderness Systems pro staffer from Mendocino County, California. Lingcod are a voracious deep-water fish famous for eating their own species. Hofer earned his stripes pulling trophy lingcod from nearshore rocks and drops. The best way to catch a big ling is by hooking and reeling in a smaller ling. The larger fish will often latch on to the smaller fish and the angler scores two ling at once. But catching ling isn’t always easy, and Hofer has mastered the tactics to make these cannibal cod bite.
Cannibal Cod: Killer Tactics for Giant Lingcod
Season
The best time to catch big ling is when the females move into the shallows to spawn. I’ve caught ling as shallow as 15 feet and as deep as 150 feet. Be sure to check fishing regulations for depth restrictions.
Water and Weather
Ideal weather conditions start with a light south wind. The pinnacles and drops are small, so a light wind makes it easier to stay on the spot. Clear water produces more fish because lingcod are primarily visual predators. Ling bite anything that passes in front of their face. Strong current puts more bait in their range. When the water visibility is terrible, I use natural bait to attract the fish to my hook.
Find Fish
If my lure is not in the rocks, I’m not going to catch lingcod. A 10- to 30-foot drop is my favorite ling structure. Pinnacles and boulders are also great ling spots. If the fish aren’t biting in heavy structure, I slow troll a swimbait over a flat, rocky reef.
Tackle
Rod: 6’6” Shimano Trevala medium-action, medium-fast
Reel: 300 Daiwa Lexa HD
Line: 50-lb Power Pro braid
Leader: 40-lb Berkley Big Game monofilament
Rigs: Dropper rig with 4 to 6 oz weight, 5/0 to 7/0 hook, squid, herring, anchovies, octopus or a live fish
Lures: 4 to 8 oz lead head with blue/white, green/black, white swimbait, 4 to 8 oz silver metal jig
Tactics
To target lingcod and avoid smaller rockfish, my go-to lure is a white and blue swimbait with a four- to six-ounce jighead. I drop the swimbait to the bottom and turn the reel handle twice. Then, I jig the lure by mixing subtle bounces with big jumps up to five feet off the bottom. I’ll also retrieve the lure 20 feet and let it flutter to the bottom. If I can’t get bites on the swimbait, I’ll rig a natural bait of octopus, sardine or herring. The ling’s favorite bait is a live rockfish, jacksmelt, sanddab or sea trout.
Kayak
Venturing into the Pacific Ocean requires a stable kayak, like a Wilderness Radar 135, that is easy to reenter if I fall into the water. I don’t leash my rods or gear. I’ve heard too many horror stories about people tumbling in the surf and getting tangled in their rod leashes. I’d rather lose a rod than my life. So, I keep it simple with one rod and a net. To handle these toothy fish, I use a lip gripper and a pair of pliers. I dispatch the ling with a fish club. A fish finder with GPS is critical for finding structure that holds fish. Electronics are also important safety equipment. In wind and fog, the GPS, fish finder and a compass allow me to navigate back to the beach. I carry a handheld VHF radio to maintain contact with other anglers and rescue services. I also listen to boaters for the fishing report.
Fish Story
On a recent trip, I was fishing for ling with three friends. The bite
was slow for three of us, but one angler was catching ling using a silver metal jig. We changed to silver and quickly caught a limit of ling. Fish are moody, so fishing with friends helps determine the best lure or location.
Kill or be killed. | Feature photo: Kevin Hofer
