Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) of the family (Ophiodontidae) are the toothsome terrors of the deep.  Almost everything that swims in their domain represents food to them.  They lay motionless in the rocky structure along the rocky shore, nearshore reefs and offshore banks waiting for the flow of the current to bring them their prey.   

  Lingcod are one of Oregon’s most dominate saltwater fish species because they are found at all depths of the water column from shallow water only a few feet deep to a depth of 650 plus feet.  

  Lingcod spawn from late December into May.  The most productive fishing occurs in shallow water during the height of the spawning period from late February into early April from jetty rocks, along the rocky shore or over the nearshore reefs where the males establish a territory from which they court the much larger females.  When the females arrive they select a mate and complete the breeding cycle before abandoning the eggs while the males remain aggressively guarding the nest.  Males caught during this period should be released so they may fulfill their parental responsibilities of guarding the nest protecting the eggs.

  Female lingcod are the monsters of the midway growing as long as 5 feet in length, weighing as much as 77 pounds 3 ounces and living as long as 20 years of age.  Female lingcod over 50 pounds are considered trophy size.  The typical female weighs about 20 pounds.  They have large mouths with large canine teeth.  Large female lingcod should be released because their flesh is tough and course, and more importantly, because of the contribution large females make to sustain the fishery.  The best eating lingcod weigh between 5 and 15 pounds. 

  Artificial lures are the most popular bait used to fish for lingcod.  Leadhead jigs are always the first choice because of their versatility and secondly because the angler can cover a lot of water in a relatively short time without hanging the jig up on an underwater objects too often.  The action and vibration from the plastic tail in combination with the motion imparted to the jig by the angler make the leadhead jig irresistible to lingcod.  The plastic tails come in a variety of colors that only add to the jig’s versatility.  Coast–wide, the most productive colors are plain white followed by motor oil, root beer and green impregnated with flecks.  The water depth, tidal flow or ocean currents dictate the size of jigs to be used.  Use 1½ to 3 ounce leadhead jigs when fishing from the jetties or the rocky shore.  The 1½ ounce leadhead jig is the preferred size when fishing from the rocky shore.  Remember lingcod are bottom dwellers.  Cast the jig to the desired location letting it fall to the bottom before retrieving it with a jigging motion along the bottom.

  Heavier leadhead jigs are used when fishing offshore.  Use 2 to 8 ounce leadhead jigs when fishing over the nearshore reefs from depths up to 120 feet deep.  Use 8 to 24 ounce leadhead jigs baited with glow in the dark tails when fishing over the pinnacles and canyon walls of the offshore banks from depths of 120 to 650 feet deep.  Banging the jig off the bottom is like ringing a dinner bell at a boarding house.  The heavier jigs are necessary to fish site specific locations because the combination of wind and current flow can move a boat and carry a jig away from the target location before the jig reaches the bottom.  Adding strip bait cut from the belly of a rockfish enhances the effectiveness of leadhead jigs or hard baits by providing a scent trail and motion.

Hard baits are effective lures that take lingcod from all depths of the water column.  The Buzz Bomb, Crippled Herring, Point Wilson Darts, Stinger Jigs, Nordic Jigs, Diamond Jigs and Butterfly Jigs are some of the more popular hard baits in water up to 120 feet deep.  The most productive colors are chrome, white, blue or green with white, green and chartreuse.  Cast a Buzz Bomb or one of the other lighter weight jigs to or from the rocky shore and retrieve it with a subtle jigging motion along the bottom.  They flutter emitting vibrations as they fall or while being retrieved enticing the lingcod to strike.  When a strike is detected without a hookup, lower the tip of the rod allowing the lure to fall several feet.  Lift the lure with a normal jigging motion.  The result should be a hookup.  Fish for large female lingcod in deeper water at depths greater than 120 feet over the rocky structure associated with the nearshore reefs and the offshore banks by yo yoing a 16 ounce Diamond Jig or Nordic Jig on the bottom.  Adding strip bait cut from the belly of a rockfish make the jig more effective by enhancing its presentation.  The fluttering motion of the jig in combination with the scent from the strip bait is an offering a lingcod cannot refuse.

Lingcod:

Date......Depth....From:.......................To:............................Date..........Depth...From:...................To:...................................................

06/30/98  721   4212.74   12435.76   4214.30   12436.01***

07/13/95  354   4213.44   12531.23   4214.99   12531.47*

06/30/98   328   4214.18   12428.44   4215.64   12429.03*

07/13/95   702   4214.81   12524.05   4213.25   12524.45

07/26/83   240   4218.2     12428.4     4219.7     12429.1*

07/25/83   232   4223.4     12431.5     4224.7     12432.0*

07/01/98   813   4223.28   12443.95   4224.65   12445.11*

07/01/98   206   4225.01   12431.58   4226.54   12432.57*

07/26/83   213   4229.4     12433.7     4231.0     12433.1**   

07/02/98   354   4233.47   12437.07   4234.92   12436.74*

07/27/83   810   4233.9     12443.6     4235.4     12443.3*

07/02/98   469   4234.05   12441.21   4235.54   12440.97*

07/14/95   360   4234.69   12523.52   4233.11   12523.24*

07/14/95   479   4234.93   12519.17   4233.35   12518.70*

07/27/83   442   4235.5     12440.4     4233.9     12440.5*

07/27/83   810   4239.9     12443.6     4235.4     12443.3*

08/02/86   324   4236.0     12435.2     4234.4     12435.3*

07/01/98   866   4236.29   12443.11   4234.86   12443.74*

07/14/95   229   4236.55   12529.75   4235.00   12530.00*

07/27/83   298   4239.4     12433.2     4240.8     12433.3

07/02/98   629   4242.38   12442.67   4243.86   12442.98*

07/02/98   249   4243.67   12434.65   4244.57   12436.35*

07/28/83   396   4252.6     12442.5     4251.1     12442.4

07/28/83   685   4252.7     12447.2     4254.0     12448.1**

07/27/83   426   4253.5     12442.6     4255.0     12442.4***

08/05/86   498   4254.3     12444.3     4255.4     12455.4

07/16/95   698   4254.87   12508.12   4254.20   12516.97*

07/27/83   725   4254.9     12453.5     4256.4     12453.3*

07/15/95   475   4254.93   12516.44   4253.27   12516.32*

07/28/83   282   4256.9     12436.6     4255.4     12438.1*

07/16/95   344   4302.37   12525.15   4303.67   12525.44*

07/29/83   360   4303.0     12435.9     4301.4     12436.0*

07/29/83   515   4303.2     12441.6     4304.4     12441.9***

07/28/83   853   4300.3     12451.9     4300.9     12451.3*

07/28/83   229   4304.0     12430.9     4305.5     12430.6*

07/03/98   410   4303.95   12437.32   4305.56   12437.21*

07/29/83   639   4304.2     12451.1     4305.4     12450.3*

07/28/83   413   4306.4     12436.6     4304.9     12436.8

08/07/86   419   4311.2     12438.6     4312.0     12437.7*

08/01/83   606   4313.8     12441.6     4315.3     12441.4*

08/07/86   262   4314.2     12433.5     4313.4     12433.8*

08/07/86   318   4315.1     12434.6     4316.2     12433.7

07/04/98   390   4317.26   12436.65   4315.61   12436.76*

08/01/83   725   4319.6     12441.5     4321.0     12440.5*

08/06/86   354   4322.3     12430.9     4320.8     12431.1*

07/04/98   616   4322.31   12443.93   4323.87   12443.63*

07/04/98   383   4323.46   12432.34   4325.06   12432.22*

08/01/83   665   4323.6     12439.2     4324.7     12438.4**   

07/18/95   347   4326.40   12532.43   4324.85   12531.72*

08/08/86   324   4326.5     12425.1     4328.1     12425.0

07/18/95   298   4326.51   12536.07   4325.00   12535.27*

08/02/83   341   4327.6     12425.4     4326.3     12426.6*

08/02/83   472   4328.5     12433.1     4329.7     12431.9*

08/02/83   485   4330.3     12431.7     4331.6     12430.8**   

08/02/83   718   4332.8     12435.1     4331.3     12435.6*

08/02/83   672   4333.9     12434.2     4335.4     12434.1*

08/03/83   305   4334.3     12418.1     4335.7     12417.8

08/02/83   442   4334.3     12428.4     4332.4     12428.2

08/08/86   383   4334.6     12429.9     4333.1     12425.2**

07/05/98   449   4335.56   12428.91   4334.06   12429.32*

08/03/83   223   4337.6     12415.4     4339.0     12415.5*

08/08/86   360   4338.2     12422.0     4339.7     12421.8*

08/03/83   298   4339.7     12416.6     4341.1     12416.7

08/03/83   629   4340.0     12433.1     4338.2     12433.0

08/03/83   570   4341.5     12431.6     4343.0     12431.7*

08/03/83   738   4341.7     12434.6     4343.1     12434.9*

08/09/86   311   4342.8     12417.1     4344.2     12417.8*

07/05/98   367   4343.80   12423.43   4345.44   12423.60*

07/05/98   334   4343.86   12418.87   4345.39   12418.57*

07/18/95   347   4343.89   12540.41   4345.35   12541.30*

08/03/83   629   4345.9     12433.5     4347.4     12433.4*

08/03/83   551   4347.3     12431.9     4348.7     12432.0

08/04/83   259   4347.5     12415.0     4346.0     12414.9*

08/04/83   354   4348.8     12421.1     4349.8     12419.9*

08/08/86   442   4351.7     12429.3     4352.9     12429.1*

08/09/83   541   4353.5     12433.0     4355.0     12433.3*

07/06/98   731   4353.60   12449.28   4354.31   12451.25*

07/19/95   429   4353.78   12530.44   4355.50   12530.39*

08/04/83   377   4354.0     12423.0     4352.5     12423.0*

08/09/86   383   4354.2     12425.9     4355.0     12426.0**   

07/19/95   627   4354.46   12516.85   4354.46   12514.75*

07/19/95   331   4355.46   12542.92   4353.95   12542.84*

08/09/83   557   4355.1     12448.4     4356.0     12450.0*

08/09/86   678   4355.1     12450.8     4354.4     12449.0*

07/06/98   413   4355.78   12428.95   4354.26   12429.33*

08/10/86   367   4358.1     12451.6     4358.7     12450.1*

08/10/83   455   4358.4     12441.5     4357.0     12441.2*

08/10/83   830   4358.7     12457.0     4400.2     12456.6*

08/10/83   751   4401.2     12456.2     4402.6     12455.9

08/11/83   403   4403.6     12427.0     4402.1     12426.8*

07/07/98   272   4403.77   12417.82   4405.29   12418.51*

07/07/98   367   4403.78   12424.69   4405.36   12425.11*

07/07/98   387   4404.14   12427.56   4405.30   12429.12*

07/06/98   331   4404.27   12448.34   4405.72   12448.92*

07/06/98   298   404.55     12449.80   4403.76   12448.68*

08/10/86   377   4404.6     12444.0     4404.2     12445.0*

07/20/95   308   4404.61   12510.06   4403.60   12511.85*

07/06/98   377   4405.19   12443.56   4404.32   12444.90*

08/10/83   648   4405.3     12455.8     4403.8     12455.7*

08/10/86   479   4405.9     12454.4     4404.3     12454.8*

08/10/86   396   4406.2     12434.6     4406.8     12432.6*

08/10/83   347   4406.4     12447.2     4405.9     12445.6*

08/12/83   324   4406.6     12448.5     4407.8     12447.3*

08/17/83   528   4407.0     12454.6     4408.6     12454.6*

08/10/86   239   4408.0     12416.6     4409.6     12416.6*

08/12/83   360   4408.0     12428.1     4409.5     12429.2*

08/17/83   679   4408.6     12456.7     4407.2     12456.4*

08/12/83   347   4409.0     12444.1     4410.5     12444.1*

08/10/86   360   4409.2     12427.9     4410.5     12428.4*

08/12/83   396   4410.2     12440.5     4408.5     12440.2

08/10/86   288   4411.8     12420.5     4413.1     12420.9*

08/17/83   744   4413.3     12456.6     4414.7     12455.9**    

07/07/98   331   4413.40   12434.04   4414.88   12433.79*

07/19/95   285   4413.75   12539.83   4414.82   12538.11*

07/07/98   278   4414.15   12421.21   4415.58   12421.89*

07/07/98   301   4414.21   12425.08   4415.69   12425.68*

07/07/98   328   4414.29   12430.37   4415.86   12430.56*

07/19/95   249   4414.35   12543.22   4412.62   12543.34*

07/20/95   337   4415.01   12527.74   4413.92   12526.10

07/20/95   443   4415.38   12510.83   4415.41   12509.07

07/20/95   659   4415.72   12505.22   4414.43   12503.97*

07/20/95   341   4415.73   12530.11   4414.05   12530.13*

07/08/98   551   4417.13   12451.41   4416.19   12453.18

08/10/86   259   4418.0     12419.8     4419.3     12419.5*

08/19/83   541   4418.2     12449.2     4419.7     12449.0**   

08/11/86   485   4419.7     12446.6     4421.1     12445.9*

08/11/86   341   4420.7     12442.1     4421.3     12442.7*

08/11/86   331   4420.8     12430.5     4419.2     12430.7*

08/11/86   298   4421.1     12431.0     4422.6     12430.0*

08/15/83   275   4421.8     12426.1     4423.0     12427.0                       

07/09/98   262   4422.67   12424.10   4424.04   12425.10*

07/08/98   528   4422.85   12446.30   4424.32   12445.29*

08/15/83   223   4422.9     12414.6     4421.2     12414.4*

07/22/95   433   4422.95   12516.21   4424.19   12517.32*

07/21/95   518   4423.74   12514.62   4425.17   12515.53*

08/15/83   282   4423.6     12430.0     4424.9     12430.4

08/17/83   439   4423.6     12443.1     4424.6     12441.5*

07/09/98   334   4424.28   12433.5 7  4425.83   12432.59

07/21/95   351   4424.39   12526.57   4425.89   12527.33*

07/08/98   367   4424.55   12437.72   4425.24   12435.78*

07/21/95   229   4424.78   12543.22   4423.20   12543.37*

07/22/95   380   4425.55   12523.25   4424.30   12522.05*

08/12/86   246   4426.7     12422.2     4425.8     12423.8*

08/12/83   246   4427.7     12416.8     4429.2     12416.7*

08/12/86   370   4428.1     12432.8     4429.5     12433.0*

08/12/86   688   4429.4     12443.9     4428.2     12444.6**

08/16/83   383   4430.1     12433.2     4428.6     12433.4*

07/11/98   390   4432.45   12432.31   4433.92   12431.47*

07/09/98   538   4432.56   12435.86   4434.17   12435.75

08/15/83   180   4433.2     12412.1     4434.7     12411.7*

07/10/98   259   4435.17   12420.85   4433.54   12420.85*

08/16/83   498   4435.4     12433.6     4434.3     12443.9

08/12/86   479   4437.3     12433.0     4439.5     12434.0

08/16/83   961   4439.6     12440.5     4440.9     12440.4*

08/18/83   724   4440.3     12446.1     4439.5     12446.5

08/13/86   278   4440.7     12419.2     4441.9     12420.1*

08/13/86   544   4440.8     12433.6     4441.6     12433.4

08/19/83   331   4441.4     12423.6     4439.8     12423.6*

07/23/95   669   4442.99   12524.93   4444.50   12525.38*

07/11/98   429   4443.71   12428.29   4445.14   12427.31*     

07/10/98   262   4444.05   12415.92   4445.19   12414.25*

07/10/98   360   4444.05   12423.22   4444.91   12421.33*     

08/13/86   541   4444.5     12431.4     4446.1     12431.5*

07/11/98   528   4445.27   12433.08   4445.43   12430.91***

08/18/83   377   4445.4     12419.2     4446.6     12420.9*

07/11/98   695   4445.42   12434.88   4443.94   12435.52*     

07/23/95   390   4445.99   12538.71   4444.82   12537.18*

07/23/95   449   4446.18   12533.70   4444.86   12532.27*

07/23/95   574   4446.85   12529.16   4445.55   12527.95

08/18/83   323   4447.4     12416.3     4445.6     12417.0

08/17/83   432   4447.9     12423.6     4446.3     12424.3*

08/17/83   564   4448.2     12430.1     4446.5     12430.7*

08/13/86   216   4453.4     12407.2     4454.7     12407.5*

07/13/98   638   4453.59   12424.77   4454.76   12423.45*

07/13/98   324   4453.60   12411.26   4455.14   12410.51*

07/23/95   721   4454.01   12532.54   4455.36   12533.92*

07/23/95   574   4454.57   12536.20   4455.79   12537.79*

07/12/98   695   4455.53   12425.78   4454.29   12427.11*

08/14/86   492   4455.8     12416.5     4457.2     12416.2*

07/13/98   272   4503.30   12406.70   4504.86   12406.23*

07/13/98   400   4503.61   12411.41   4505.23   12410.95*

08/22/83   1079 4504.4     12425.1     4505.9     12424.8

08/22/83  702   4505.7     12419.6     4504.2     12419.7

07/25/95   803   4505.80   12538.71   4504.13   12537.92*

07/25/95   524   4506.33   12545.70   4504.82   12545.23*

08/22/83   702   4507.8     12419.6     4504.2     12419.7

07/25/95   301   4513.30   12553.56   4514.84   12553.59*

07/13/98   298   4514.09   12406.22   4515.76   12406.03*

07/25/95   423   4514.50   12549.52   4512.79   12549.94*

08/21/83   360   4515.7     124  8.4     4517.1     12407.7*

08/14/86   262   4516.0     124  5.8     4517.0     12440.4*

08/21/83   574   4516.4     12415.4     4514.9     12414.7*

07/14/98   541   4525.05   12416.43   4523.45   12416.29*

07/14/98   485   4525.18   12413.36   4523.61   12413.74*

08/15/86   196   4528.2     12402.0     4529.7     12402.2*

08/15/86   354   4531.8     12409.2     4533.3     12409.0*

07/15/98   629   4533.38   12425.12   4534.82   12425.89*

07/15/98   390   4533.68   12411.54   4535.30   12411.75*

07/15/98   564   4535.74   12423.30   4534.47   12422.77*

08/15/86   426   4536.4     12413.3     4537.9     12413.5*

08/21/83   665   4539.0     12428.5     4540.7     12428.8***

08/21/83   534   4541.2     12424.3     45 39.9    12423.2

08/15/86   347   4541.6     12409.9     4540.2     12410.6*

07/28/95   446   4543.02   12544.38   4544.64   12544.68*

07/28/95   587   4543.22   12531.83   4544.63   12530.85**

07/28/95   498   4543.59   12536.68   4545.13   12536.21*

07/28/95   692   4543.63   12523.61   4545.06   12522.88*

07/28/95   649   4543.88   12526.02   4545.36   12524.95*

07/28/95   623   4544.94   12526.80   4543.98   12528.57*

07/29/95   354   4543.94   12549.20   4545.55   12549.13*

07/15/98   600   4544.02   12430.50   4545.24   12431.87*

07/15/98   570   4545.21   12429.90   4543.94   12428.27*

08/15/86   262   4546.0     12405.1     4547.6     12406.0

07/15/98   663   4546.27   12435.15   4544.85   12434.38*

08/24/83   623   4550.2     12437.2     4551.5     12438.7

08/16/86   472   4551.0     12419.9     4552.6     12419.9*

08/24/83   426   4552.1     12415.7     4550.6     12415.8

07/16/98   495   4552.87   12429.48   4554.33   12429.96*

07/16/98   459   4553.72   12421.21   4555.12   12421.99*

07/28/95   479   4553.79   12538.85   4554.80   12537.07

07/28/95   334   4554.32   12548.39   4555.81   12547.92

07/28/95   419   4554.84   12543.50   4553.24   12543.15

07/16/98   397   4554.90   12416.51   4553.36   12416.16*

07/16/98   229   4554.93   12407.19   4553.31   12404.04*

08/16/86   456   4555.6     12420.8     4557.0     12421.3*

08/22/83   629   4602.2     12439.7     4600.7     12440.2*

07/18/98  288   4603.76   12412.72   4605.39   12412.96*

07/18/98   449   4603.64   12428.95   4605.04   12429.98*

07/28/95   301   4604.40   12546.96   4602.89   12547.81*

07/29/95   459   4604.72   12530.93   4606.22   12531.11*

07/28/95   232   4605.17   12552.31   4604.00   12553.84*

08/17/86   439   4607.6     12428.6     4606.1     12428.9**

08/25/83   738   4609.2     12439.7     4610.0     12438.3*

08/25/83   449   4609.8     12428.5     4611.3     12428.6*

08/17/86   275   4610.1     12414.1     4611.1     12414.3*

08/17/86   334   4611.2     12417.8     4612.9     12418.5

07/19/98   410   4612.84   12422.93   4614.43   12422.17*

08/23/83   331   4613.9     12417.9     4615.5     12418.8*

07/29/95   328   4614.27   12539.56   4612.62   12539.97*

08/18/86   311   4614.9     12417.9     4616.4     12417.2*

07/29/95   498   4615.56   12536.97   4613.95   12536.66*

08/23/83   629   4618.3     12436.5     4617.7     12435.9*

08/24/83   442   4618.7     12427.5     4620.3     12426.7*

08/18/86   383   4619.9     12422.1     4620.0     12424.6*

08/23/83   252   4620.8     12407.3     4604.4     12407.4*

08/23/83   311   4620.8     12414.1     4603.7     12416.1*

08/18/86   419   4620.8     12426.1     4621.6     12432.7**

08/27/83   305   4622.1     12422.0     4623.9     12422.0

08/27/83   370   4623.9     12426.9     4622.5     12426.3**

07/30/95   400   4624.59   12532.15   4622.99   12532.57*

07/30/95   341   4624.77   12535.03   4623.18   12535.80*

08/25/83   419   4625.0     12428.7     4626.7     12427.8**

08/24/83   216   4625.7     12417.4     4627.4     12416.7*

08/25/83   347   4629.8     12425.4     4628.2     12424.4

07/31/95   423   4632.83   12532.01   4634.51   12531.95*

07/20/98   298   4633.13   12424.09   4634.61   12424.32*

07/31/95   282   4633.59   12535.91   4635.26   12535.94*

08/01/95   757   4633.90   12528.43   4634.42   12527.63*

08/19/86   295   4634.1     12423.9     4635.6     12423.8**

08/01/95   908   4634.15   12524.81   4634.22   12526.81*

08/01/95   702   4634.42   12527.20   4633.41   12529.47*

08/19/86   396   4634.8     12426.7     4635.6     12428.5*

08/25/83   298   4636.8     12426.7     4638.1     12425.1**

07/20/98   639   4634.82   12434.85   4634.29   12432.73***

08/18/86   485   4636.7     12435.6     4638.4     12435.7

08/26/83   455   4637.0     12432.6     4638.5     12432.8*

08/25/83   209   4637.2     12417.2     4638.5     12416.6*

08/26/83   648   4637.6     12438.4     4636.3     12437.3*

08/19/86   377   4637.9     12429.5     4639.4     12429.9*

08/26/83   505   4637.9     12437.5     4636.9     12435.4**

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