What is the best ling cod bait or lure?

[espencer757]

Going fishing off of Depot Bay coast. Would like to catch some good lings, but it has been a while. I always did best with a herring moocher line from the bottom of my shrimp jigs. People are telling me to get some squid. Some are saying to stick with the old eel jig. Aaaauuurrrgggghhhh! OK, everybody! What is your take?

 

[Raincatcher]

Healthy discussions of differing opinions are welcome here, as are you. We don't allow arguments.

 

[espencer757]

I totally disagree with you on that.

 

[plumbertom]

Lings will eat anything that they can catch. Bouncing a jig along the bottom will trigger a bite if they see it. That being said, everything eats squid. They don'y call it candy bait for nothing. So along with the visual presentation of the squid you also have the scent which should increase the willingness of lings to try a taste. But as said, everything eats squid so you'll have to put up with being bit by everything in the water column on the way down to ling country.

 

[wils]

sand dabs. are there sand dabs in oregon?

 

[Irishrover]

Oh yes there are plenty of them around.

 

[Irishrover]

What's the best bait for lingcod, that's easy it the last black rock fish on you line of shrimp flies. Those greedy ling will not let go of that rock fish so as they come up gaff or net them before they figure out what's going on. I've had that happen a few times.

 

[plumbertom]

Hitchhikers is what we always called those lings that are just hanging on to a hooked fish.

 

[Fishpdx]

Best bait would be live greenlings, Just make sure their alive. Lings love greenling.

 

[espencer757]

Well we are back. What a beautiful day on the ocean. 4 on the boat, and we limited on lings, an caught 16 black rock. Nothing really large. 24 - 30 in., but still had a great day. The wife did NOT get sick, but the race back to depoe bay did just about do her back in. Rough ride. Wish I would have taken pictures, but I didn't even think about it until we started bagging fillets. Good clean meat, no worms at all.

Oh, and we seemed to catch the most on octopus.