Lingcod: how big is too big?

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I released this hog 2 weeks ago out of the thormanby island area, for reference I am 6’2, it’s within the law to retain them but the meat is generally grainy , wormy and watery. When I was younger and stupid I retained a 58 lber out of Naden harbour while guiding, the fillets were disgusting , felt bad even sending them back to Texas with the guest. Anything north of 25 goes back for us these days.
 

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adanac said:
I released this hog 2 weeks ago out of the thormanby island area, for reference I am 6’2, it’s within the law to retain them but the meat is generally grainy , wormy and watery. When I was younger and stupid I retained a 58 lber out of Naden harbour while guiding, the fillets were disgusting , felt bad even sending them back to Texas with the guest. Anything north of 25 goes back for us these days.
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like fun
 
I advise my guests not to keep anything over about 20-25lbs. I explain that the bigger ones are the breeders, and the meat is often wormy or not as tasty as a 10-20 lber. Theyre also nonmigratory as far as I know so if you take all the breeders out of their spots, new ones may not move in for quite some time. Most people understand where Im coming from and dont have a problem with it, if they do its their trip and thats their prerogative, I dont hold it against them - these trips are expensive!
 
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Aces said:
I’m not saying I keep them but was just stating a fact. I agree we are our own worst enemy
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yep, I kept a big one once and won’t do it again. I prefer in 10-15 pound range and bled as soon as they land in the boat.

That said I don’t care what people keep, all us falling on sword would result in is another sector reaping the benefits of it.

We are truly our worst enemy’s, why don’t we just shut down recreational fishing for ling cod it’s would be the best for conservation right?

I get people’s concerns but but let’s be honest everyone would start bitching as soon as they were fishing and releasing big one after big on.

Why is it that everyone always wants to conserve them selfs right out of a fishery.

You don’t hear theFN or commercial guys bitching. It’s right on, great catch fishing’s great lots out there boys.
 
wildmanyeah said:
Why is it that everyone always wants to conserve them selfs right out of a fishery.
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Because a C&R fishery with fish beats a kill fishery with no fish any day of the week, thats why. Like everything else in this world it'll be harvested to extinction if we allow it.
 
Aces said:
there’s a shortage of Ling Cod in the Nanaimo area?
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I don't think that there is necessarily a shortage. Within my fishing group, the general observation has been that catch per unit effort is way down this year.
 
browningmirage said:
If its conservation, the males tend to be smaller. They guard the nests.
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Which is why the fishery is closed from October to April - nest guarding time.

Unlike rockfish Lingcod grow quickly which makes them far more resilient to fishing pressure. Based on how many undersized I had to release to get a legal one in the Nanaimo area a couple weeks ago I think they are doing OK. Respect the RCAs that are in most of the prime habitat areas and the Lings will do just fine.
 
My first salt water Ling was a 50 up at Alert Bay area 30 years ago. We didn't know you should release monsters, upon cleaning it there was a 5 pound half digested lings in it's pot belly. Not knowing the difference we thoroughly enjoyed it, no worms. On the conservation side I wonder how many brother's that monster ate in a year? I also wonder how old it was.
 
Good grief. Annual limit and its closed in winter. No data whatsoever to say population is in trouble. Your making an issue of something that isn't.

I see Nanaimo was mentioned. There are so few boats right with Chinook retention closed right now I would say the impact is less right now. I could care less if people take big lings. I care more about the under size ones/going over daily limit/going over yearly limits and poaching from the mainland groups crossing ( which is more of an issue).
 
Best eating ling cod 10-18 lbs, Anything over 20lbs goes back. Ling Cod provide such huge fillets even at this size of fish. Anything over 30 lbs generally not as tasty, can develop worms. Just like Halibut larger ones should be back. Best tasting halibut are between 15 -50 lbs. So not much different only for Ling cod there is no Max. Do what you like but I think the consensus of this form is anything over 30 lbs is not worth it. You had a great catch, great day and released fish over 30lbs to breed again WIN WIN for all.
 
Big lings are impressive but kind of gross. I wish the personal anual limit was overall inches, then I could eat a few of those yummy little ones.
 
Aces said:
Say what? Ever been at French creek when that boat comes in with his hold full of Lings with their heads chopped off?
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Haven’t been there but you are right. It’s disgusting. All the more reason for sport fishermen to think twice about keeping a big wormy mama. We keep telling anyone who will listen how the sport fish industry is all about doing the right thing.
 
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