Top baits for ling cod

New to ling fishing I bagged 2 befor season closed on live smelt. Are jigs better for them or is live the way to go?

Anything you put down can catch them. Tin can with a hook would work. With that said my go to is Big Hammers in 6.5" with 4oz lead head.

I usually fish Big Hammer swim baits.  If the bite is slow, tipping the hook with squid is usually pretty effective.
 

I will add that I use Herring gel on mine.

Lingcod jigs.com my buddy swears by them but they are pricey!

Welcome, Ed. 

Lingcod jigs.com my buddy swears by them but they are pricey!

That's kind of overkill on the pricing. My biggest ling at 20 lbs or so was on a 4oz lead and Kalins Grub in rootbeer. Maybe 3 bucks tops. Those are most likely Alaska fish, or VERY far north of CA.

Skip the baits...

Buy a speargun and come over to the dark side...

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Thanks for the help all

Lingcod jigs.com my buddy swears by them but they are pricey!

That's kind of overkill on the pricing. My biggest ling at 20 lbs or so was on a 4oz lead and Kalins Grub in rootbeer. Maybe 3 bucks tops. Those are most likely Alaska fish, or VERY far north of CA.

I agree, the pricing is overkill. 6.5" Big Hammer (Holoween, Senyorita, Hot Carl) are my go to,Jig heads are from Andy1976 2oz-4oz.

Greenling.  They don't call them "Ling candies" for nothing 

I guess would do too Jim!

Those guys eat anything. Barbie Dolls, Dildos, Golf Balls. Anything shinny and tipped with some squid is the way to go.
I drift with herring and can't keep them off my line.  Damn bait stealers. I punch them in the face  then release them.

BTW: They really really really really really like sand dabs. Lol. swear to god.

anything that hits the bottom, will hook a ling.
I tried avoiding them(bottom) for the last couple of seasons, but they still found my swimbaits.

Anything you put down can catch them. Tin can with a hook would work. With that said my go to is Big Hammers in 6.5" with 4oz lead head.

Quite true. Almost anything works as long as it gets in front of them. Sometimes rubber seems to work better than hard baits other times not. I've made effective jigs using painted rebar for some of those really lure grabbing pinnacles and deep holes. Snagging and losing a seven dollar jig would deeply upset me while fishing lings.