Albion 6-13-10

Fished in the morning from 10 AM - 12 PM Sunday, 6/13. I went out with my girlfriend and we ended up catching 2 undersized lings and 1 barely legal (24.001") lingcod. The swell and wind was a little on the rough side. We were using a 4 oz. white scampi jig tipped with squid and a shrimp fly about 2 feet above. All lingcods were caught on the white scampi.

We also managed to get a voracious bite that was literally impossible to fight. I'm guessing it could have been a monstrous lingcod or a seal that bit onto the fish on my line, considering I read another report that seals were around the area. The thing bit 3 times before finally being hooked and it would not budge, sometimes only pulling out line, but I made no progress whatsoever. My reel handle actually broke and I was just sitting there holding onto the rod which was already half way in the water, thinking how am I ever going to get out of this. Then, after 10 minutes, I guess the thing finally decided to let go or it came off and I got my rig back. Had to call it a day because of the wind/swell and the reel was broken.

What do you guys think? I've read that lingcod will take the bait and hide under rocks, making it impossible to get out. Some say to give the line slack for 10 seconds, tricking the lingcod into coming out and then start reeling again.

Oh, and somebody kept on saying that the fish I caught was a sea trout / kelp greenling. I'm pretty sure that is a lingcod. Anybody care to confirm? It's a little red for a lingcod, but the fin orientations all match a lingcod, not a sea trout.

Thats A ling. Uh ohh guys looks like we have another perch bandit! ...Thanks for the report, and pic.

Sounds like you had more of a snag than anything else. With the drift it seems like a fish.
Nice job on handling the swells.

Ling ling of the rosey type.
I agree with Tote.

Sounds like you had more of a snag than anything else. With the drift it seems like a fish.
Nice job on handling the swells.

That would be my guess too. With wind & drift snags can certainly feel like a big bulldogging lingcod.

& yep, whoever told you that fish was a greenling is a F&G citation waiting to happen.

I zoomed in. That's a ling. Too bad about the broken handle but at least you got your rig back. Thanks for the report.

Everything on that fish looks like a Lingcod to me, maxillary, fins, skin, teeth, coloring pattern . . . . John

i'd guess snag as well. Or a ling that wrapped you in kelp so you were fighting mostly kelp

Nice report. Gettin' the juices flowing for the Albion event. You might have had the deadliest of all, a piece of bull kelp, swaying in the swell feels real animal sometimes.

Nice score. 

Just wait until you hook in to one of those Fighting Rocks! I know from personal experience that they will put the hurt on.

You two look very happy in that photo.

Congrats on the ling. Next time don't keep a fish if you don't know what it is. Unles you don't mind $300+ tickets, that is.

Hey Hiltxan, we were out there too. It sure was a beautiful day minus the wind and seas. Whats funny is my buddy broke his fishing pole trying to get unsnagged out there. He snagged up on one of those crab pots or something plus his line was too big to break off. I told him to just cut it but he didn't listen and "Snap". Needless to say he fished with a much shorter rod the rest of the day. We caught a few undersize lings and one big Black. It was our first out there and we figured we needed a little warm-up session before the big show.
By the way, you guys look familiar, Ive seen you somewhere before.    

Get that shit eatin grin off yer face! Can't wait too head back up here ASAP! Hopefully next time it will be better conditions.

WTG!!!  Now I know there's a keeper ling there...lol...caught a grip just under...this whole season for me has been just under...

And I won't say it... Ok I will...I've seen those faces before...but I swear I won't tell!!!

Nice report...Thats a fishy place!!!

WTG on the ling guys.

Jedmo