Clipped fin on ling

One of the lings I caught the other day at Stillwater South looked clipped - the front top of the tailfin looked like a couple of rays had been cut off then healed.  I can imagine a lot of ways this could happen naturally or by accident with human involvement, but I wondered if anyone was doing a study and wanted what info I could provide?

Sounds interesting Tom, do you have a photo?
John

That's probably one of the lings I released up at Cape Mendocino, scarred by my weighing and photographing activities.  It's gotta be coming down south to die in the great ling graveyard...   

Sounds like a scar from another ling biting it, or, as Sean White told me, it could be a sign of an attack by a juvenile great white shark.  If someone were doing a study I'd bet they'd use tags as clipping fins on lingcod would be too easily confused with natural occurences in the ocean.

I caught a greenling from the rocks that had a steel leader coming out of it's anus.  I managed to extricate the rusty hook that was still inside.  That fish passed the leader and hook.  I guess he didn't get the memo about dying from contact with humans...

I caught a greenling from the rocks that had a steel leader coming out of it's anus.  I managed to extricate the rusty hook that was still inside.  That fish passed   the leader and hook.  I guess he didn't get the memo about dying from contact with humans...

Dear Mr. Just a River in Egypt,

Care to let us know if:

You've ever had a hook go through the fish's eye
You've ever had a hook wind up in the fish's throat
You've ever had a hitchhiker ling
You're 100% dead certain that a ling has never followed a blue/black up to your kayak, then snagged the just released fish.
You've ever had a fish with barotrauma
You've ever netted a Salmon you released

I'm just a cold hearted tool of the capitalist system, so I have to confess to all of the above. If you've done any of the above, then you're killing fish too. Maybe you could have a cleansing ceremony at the end of the saltwater season. Wear a hair shirt. Do a Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa dance.

Consider this as well - if fish are so tough, and can withstand being caught repeatedly then there's no need for MPAs. Just implement zero fish limits for threatened species.


Regards,
Scott

Blah, blah, blah...  Dude -  if you can stay on subject we could have some kind of discussion...  I already specified that I keep the rare floater, and I thought it went without saying that I keep fish that are wounded.  I'm tired of addressing this and inviting you to fish with me with no response.  You're getting close to being uninvited!   

Probably just a scar from another lingcod.  If it was truly clipped for a study, it would probably have a "secondary" tag like a floy tag or acoustic (internal) tag.

As for Scott, give it a rest and let it go. Seriously, just not the spirit of this group to keep attacking another.

As for Scott, give it a rest and let it go. Seriously, just not the spirit of this group to keep attacking another.

My fault for bringing up the subject and attacking someone.

It's gotta be coming down south to die in the great ling graveyard...

I guess he didn't get the memo about dying from contact with humans...

Oh, wait, I didn't bring it up. Looks like someone else did. Never mind.


Regards,
Scott

Sorry for inducing Scott's threadjack, Fuzzy Tom. 

I'm done, Scott.  Leave me alone please.

Eric

It's gotta be coming down south to die in the great ling graveyard... 

AKA my freezer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've caught (and subsequentially released) plenty of lings with scars. Although...[light bulb]now that you bring it up, it does seem like a large amount of those scars are to the fins, particularly the dorsal. Perhaps lingcod are less affected by damaged fins. Hmmmmm.

Oh, I got it Tom! What you didn't know was...that ling had a halibut hitch-hiker! And it was over 30lbs! Who would've known that lings make such great bait! LOL!
PK