A small lingcod I caught one day from Citizens Dock in Crescent City

Species: Ophidon elongatus (Girard, 1854); from the Greek words ophis (snake) and odons (tooth), and the Latin word elongatus  (elongate shaped).

Lingcod from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier in 2010 by MBay

Alternate Names:  Pacific cultus, cultus cod, leopard cod, blue cod, gator, ling, greenlinger, green cod and my favorites—slinky linky and lingasaur. Early-day names included buffalo cod, bocalao, card and testoni. Called molva in Mexico.

Identification: Elongate shaped with a long dorsal fin, large pectoral fins, and a large mouth full of canine-like teeth. Their coloring is gray to brown to blue, darker above (although some fish are a bright green and some older fish are a fairly bright yellow). The young are usually blotched.

Size: To 105 pounds in British Columbia. Most lingcod caught off piers are small, generally less than five pounds in weight. The California record fish weighed 56 lb 0 oz. It was caught at Crescent City in 1992.  

Lingcod taken from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier in 2009 by MBay

Range: From Point San Carlos, northern Baja California to the Shumagin Islands, southwestern Gulf of Alaska.

Lingcod taken from the Goleta Pier by Pierhead (Boyd Grant) in 2003

Habitat: South of Point Conception lingcod are typically a deep-water fish; north of Point Conception lingcod will be found from inter-tidal areas out to deep water. The bigger the ling the deeper they tend to live and they’ve been found all the way down to 1,400 feet. Small juvenile lingcod settle into sandy areas at about three inches in length and stay there until they are about 14-inches long. The fish then move out into rocky areas, progressively moving into deeper areas as they age. Many, but not all, migrate into shallower water to spawn during the late fall and winter months. Lings are bottom-dwellers classified as ambush predators whose cryptic (i.e. camouflage) coloration allows them to blend into the background. When prey comes close, they will dart out using the power of their pectoral fins and grab the unsuspecting victim with their large mouth and long, pointed teeth.  They are able to surprise and capture fairly mobile prey.

Lingcod taken by Rock Hopper at the Doran Jetty 

Piers: Most lingcod taken from piers are of one of two types: small juvenile fish just a few inches long or larger adults around keeper-size. In central and northern California, primarily from Avila to Morro Bay, Humboldt Bay and Crescent City Harbor, small juvenile lingcod will often move in around the piers (and sandy areas) during the summer and fall. In Central California, their appearance often will coincide with the arrival of schools of juvenile bocaccio. In Eureka and Crescent City, the young lingcod are often present the same time that juvenile rockfish, mainly small black rockfish, are using the piers as a nursery area. Sometimes the schools are mixed; at other times, it seems the lingcod swim just under the schools of rockfish. Most of these lingcod are small—under a foot—and they are illegal. At piers north of San Francisco, especially those located near rocks or reefs, anglers will see larger lingcod as one of the normal pier species. Most of these lingcod will be around two feet in length but larger fish are caught every year, especially in the fall and early winter. The best pier to catch lingcod is SoCal is probably the Goleta Pier. The best CenCal piers would include the Monterey Coast Guard Pier and the Santa Cruz Wharf. The top piers in NorCal are the Point Arena Pier, Trinidad Pier, and Citizens Dock in Crescent City.

A lingcod from the rocks

Shoreline: One of the main prizes for rocky shore anglers in central and northern California.

Lingcod caught from CenCal rocks by frozendog in 2014

Boats:  A prize for boaters from central California north; a few are taken in deeper waters in southern California. Traditionally, the greatest catch was made out of Monterey and Santa Cruz although substantial numbers were landed on boats from every port north of Morro Bay. In southern California some are taken from deeper waters of the Channel Islands and the Los Coronados Islands. All areas saw a decrease in the ‘90s but the species has been making a tremendous comeback in numbers during the past decade.

Lings caught from boats are generally larger than shore caught lings. This ling was caught by bigunindaboat in 2014.

Lingcod taken on a boat out of Monterey by Jackjack in 2014

Bait and Tackle: Anglers specifically fishing for lingcod need to remember to bring tackle heavy enough for the fish since lings over ten pounds in size are always a possibility. Almost any bait will work although a lively small fish makes the best bait. If live bait is unavailable, try a whole anchovy or a cut sardine or herring. Lings can also be taken on squid, octopus, shrimp, and even fresh mussels but moving bait is almost always better. Lingcod will also hit artificials, especially in the fall and winter months. Lures such as swimbaits and spoons seem to work best.

Lingcod taken from the Pacifica Pier in 1997

Food Value: Excellent, mild-flavored, flaky, and low-fat content meat. Lingcod meat can be prepared in almost any manner but I prefer to fillet it and fry it. Many people like to steak it and broil it, or cook it on a bar-b-cue, but the low fat content means it can dry out somewhat. Remember, low fat content means to add oil as in frying. High fat content means to remove the oil by methods such as broiling.  Sometimes the flesh will be green-blue after filleting; don’t worry, it will turn white after cooking.

Lingcod taken from the rocks by Salty Nick in 2014

Comments: Lingcod are truculent, pugnacious fighters, one of the meanest fish a pier angler will encounter. Remember to watch out for those large, large teeth.  Lings live to at least 20 years of age.

Lingcod taken from the Point Arena Pier by Dan and Renee in 2006

Lingcod taken by MBay from the Monterey Coast Guard Pier in 2010

Lingcod taken from the Cayucos Pier in 2003

Lingcod taken from the Trinidad Pier in 2003

Lingcod taken by frozendog from CenCal rocks in 2014

A lingcod that I netted for a guy in Santa Cruz back in the ’70s. He had been seasick all day, got up to fish for ten minutes, hooked this lingcod, brought it up, and I netted it (since the deckhand was busy with another fish). He then proceeded to throw up and quit fishing once again.

A lingcod and a kelp greenling that I caught one day fishing off of Fort Bragg

Another lingcod I caught off Fort Bragg

A tasty double — a lingcod and a sole caught by csmeril at the Cayucos Pier in 2013.

Small, immature “baby” lingcod taken from the Santa Cruz Wharf in 2007

Last week while visiting the north coast I made a short, three-hour, afternoon visit to Citizens Dock in Crescent City. As always, there was a nice variety of fish to be had by the inshore rocks and it’s a good thing because they have now restricted fishing from most of the pier. I used to always check out several areas of the pier and, on windy days, could perhaps find a little shelter from the wind. No more.

No crabbing or fishing beyond the sign.

Apparently anglers have caused problems for the commercial operation on the pier.

The area open for fishing

Most anglers now fish the small section of the pier where this angler is standing. Fish around the rocks for rockfish, cabezon, greenling, lingcod and small sculpin or cast further out and (1) fish on the bottom for fish (mainly flatfish), or (2) try a Sabiki-like rig on top for pelagics such as jacksmelt, sardines or herring.

“Pier Cart” ready

However, the rocky area can be productive.  The final tally for three hours of fishing was: 9 Copper Rockfish; 6 Brown Rockfish; 2 Pacific Sanddab; 1 Lingcod — 17-inch; 1 Cabezon; 1 Black & Yellow Rockfish; 1 Grass Rockfish; 1 Striped Seaperch and 1 Kelp Crab  — Pugettia producta. Not a bad day although most of the fish were really too small to keep.

Copper Rockfish

Copper Rockfish

Brown Rockfish

Black & Yellow Rockfish

Grass Rockfish

Lingcod

Cabezon

Striped Seaperch

Juvenile Pacific Sanddab

Juvenile Pacific Sanddab

Kelp Crab — Pugettia producta (topside view)

Kelp Crab — Pugettia producta (underside view)

Species: Cymatogaster aggregata (Gibbons, 1854); from the Greek root words cymo (foetus or fetus) and gastro (belly) and the Latin word aggregatus (crowded together, referring to the schooling nature of the fish). Family Embiotocidae, subfamily Embiotocinae.

Alternate Names: Commonly called shiner; also 7-11 perch, leven perch, yellow perch, bay perch, yellow shiner. Called minnow, shiner, or sparda by 19th century fishermen. In Mexico called majarra brillosa or perca.

Identification: Their coloring is gray to greenish above, and silvery below. Females have three yellow bars on the side; the males typically only have yellow bars during the winter, in the breeding season they are nearly black.

Silver shinerperch (male during spawning season) from the Citizen’s Dock in Crescent City

Size: To 8 inches; most caught off piers are 4-6 inches in length.

Range: Bahia San Quintin, Baja California to Sitka, southeastern Alaska.

Habitat: Shiner surfperch prefer eelgrass beds in bays but are found in almost all shallow-water bay and oceanfront areas. They’re especially common around piers.

Piers:  Shiners are one of the most numerous fish taken at California piers.

Shoreline: A frequent catch throughout California’s bays.

Boats: Rarely taken from boats.

Bait and Tackle: For most anglers, the problem with these fish is how to keep them off your hook, not how to get them on. If you are using small hooks (under a size 4) and small bait, especially pieces of worm, and if shiners are around, you will probably catch them. However, some may actually want to catch them—they are great fun for kids. They also make good live bait for larger species like striped bass and halibut. To catch them, simply use small hooks (size 8), a small piece of bait, and fish from the top to the mid-depth level of the water.

Food Value:  Too small—throw ‘em back since they attract the larger game fish to the pier. Actually some ethnic groups do eat them; they’re often pickled and some people like to dry them and use them in Oriental dishes.

Comments: Shiners can be a problem when you are using expensive pile worms or bloodworms and fishing for the larger perch.

Many thanks to Robert O’H for the help with the pictures.

Black Rockfish  — Trinidad Pier

Species: Sebastes melanops (Girard, 1856); from the Greek words sebastes (magnificent), melas (black), and ops  (face).

Alternate Names: Commonly called black bass, bass rockfish or black snapper; also confused with and called blue rockfish; sometimes called bluefish, Columbia River rockfish, gray rockfish, Pacific snapper, black rock cod; Commercial fishermen once called these nero (black in Italian), cherna (a Portugese fish), or pesce pretre (used in Monterey).

Identification: Typical bass-like shape. Their coloring is black or blue-black, and white below. There are usually black spots on the back, up onto the lower parts of the dorsal fin (no spots on the dorsal fin of blue rockfish). Often confused with blue rockfish but can be differentiated from the blues by the following: in black rockfish the upper jaw extends to or past the rear of the eye and the anal fin is rounded.

Size: To 27.6 inches and 11 pounds. Most caught from piers are under a foot in length. The California record weighed 9 lb 2 oz and was caught near the San Francisco Light Station in 1988. 

Range: Northern Baja California to Amchitka Island in the Aleutian chain, Alaska; uncommon south of Santa Cruz.

Habitat: Generally found in shallow water rocky areas and reefs down to 120 feet although they’ve been taken to 1,200 feet dep. An opportunistic predator that primarily feeds mid-water to the top on other fish and zooplankton although they will also head down to the bottom to feed on shrimp, crabs and octopi.

Hans Jones Jr. and a black rockfish from the Trinidad Pier

Piers: Black rockfish, especially juveniles, are caught at most piers north of San Francisco.

Best Bets: San Francisco Municipal Pier, Point Arena Pier, Eureka Municipal Wharf, Trinidad Pier and Citizens Dock (Crescent City).

Shoreline: A common catch by rocky shore anglers in northern California.

Boats: Black rockfish are the most frequently taken rockfish by recreational anglers (boating) from Eureka to Crescent City and generally among the top ten species between San Francisco and Fort Bragg.

Leo Vrana and a black rockfish from Gotcha Hooked in Crescent City

Bait and Tackle: Most of the black rockfish caught by pier anglers are young fish hooked while the anglers are fishing around the pilings for perch or other bottom fish. Most are landed on high/low leaders using small hooks. Some are caught on bait-rigs that anglers use in pursuit of jacksmelt, walleye surfperch, herring, or even anchovies; this is most common at Eureka and Crescent City. If the pier isn’t crowded, an angler should try artificial lures such as small swimbaits.

Food Value: An excellent eating, mild-flavored fish that is best fried. Best when fresh; fat becomes rancid rather quickly.

Comments: Black rockfish live to be about 50 years old; a few mature (reproductive) at about ten inches in length and 3 years of age, most are mature at about 14 inches and 6-7 years in age; all are mature by 17 inches and 9 years in age.

Many thanks to Robert O’H for the help with the pictures.