37" Lingcod Catch & Release @ Mendocino Coast 2025-09-05

The weather was great today.  Bite was on, and I got 8 rockfish and one lingcod using an octopus from a lingcod's mouth.  Got two lingcods using sanddabs, including a 37" which was released.



Paul

Nice assortment of fishies 🐟

That is one nice spread of rockfish. Even though big lings and halibuts are kind of like the prize a lot of times, rockfish can be just as enjoyable in the eating part of this glorious thing we do. You can gently pan fry rockfish fillets in some butter and seasoning until they’re getting crispy and brown on the outside with no breading, and they still won’t seem to be dried out. Fry the freaking bejeezus out of em!! Just flaky and light and you can use your favorite seasonings.

My kiddo swears that brown rockfish are the best fish to come out of the ocean. It’s probably because she has grown up eating rockfish from Capitola and Santa Cruz, where they are abundant close to shore, and I usually catch loads of browns even when trying for the aforementioned big prize fish. They can be sporty and fun in shallow water and are cooperative about you wanting to catch them. Hi-low white swim baits is the way.

OK, just getting in my plug for rockfish. Get’um!

Yea Paul , you rock!
Got into some nice blacks and  the 37”Ling …
Excellent!
Scotty