Using rock cod to catch ling cod

Hey all,
Yes, I am a total noob.  How would one use a small black rock cod (hook placement) to catch a ling cod?  Is this legal?  Any tips would be greatly appreciated.  Also, a BIG thank-you to Al out at Timber Cove on 8-16-12 for the loan of a paddle, saved my friend's whole day...respect.

Expose the hook anywhereor just hook it in a non lethal place. IMHO sand dabs work so much better!!!

It's legal as long as it's of legal size and you count it toward your daily bag limit.

I attach a large shrimp fly to a three way swivel by means of a split ring, hook the shrimp fly to the fishes upper lip, and attach a three ounce banana sinker to the other side of the three way with a five foot, 20 lb mono leader. Then I tie or rubber band a large, sharp treble hook to the fishes tail attached to the split ring with 40 lb mono. This rig keeps my hooks away from the bottom.  If the sinker gets snagged I can break it and only lose the sinker.

The lings will just "load up" rather than strike . . .  usually.

Don't let them run with it or they'll get in to a hole you'll never get them out of.

Anyone out there with a better idea?

Don

I actually caught my first Ling on a kayak this way at Albion! I pulled up a Black Rockfish and left it on the shrimp fly hook, set it back down and bam! Fish On! Wahooo! 

I actually caught my first Ling on a kayak this way at Albion! I pulled up a Black Rockfish and left it on the shrimp fly hook, set it back down and bam! Fish On! Wahooo! 

I fished with Steph last Saturday out of MBK. She is a fish magnet and obviously loves being on the water. The lady has the right stuff.

When I did such things I used a single j hook 7/0 or so through the bottom and out the nose carefull of not hitting the brain or just hooked on the bottom lip. That on a shrimp fly style rig except with only one hook and made of 90# ss cable. By far baby blues were my go to and landed many decent lings my first year doing it. Got freight trained by an unknown fish too with that method. The key is not setting on the strike but letting them chew for at least a 10 count.

After doing that for a season I realized lingcod ate iron and fished that for them mainly. Much later I learned the magic of big swimbaits from Dan/dpshim. They are by far my most effective weapon even in comparison to live RF. No bait catching, wondering if they are ignoring it because it's dead, less snags, and only one knot to tie.

A small fresh dead octopus is great as well pinned on the assist hook of an iron and drifted slow. I must emphasize small and dead though because I have very poor luck with octopus bigger than an average hand or live ones any size. Good luck and post the report.    

Yes!! Got mine this way too in monterey.  Caught a rosy on a knive jig. Hooked a double hook sturgeon rig to it with a big weight. It took all od about 5 seconds for a hit.  Too bad he was an inch short. Cool though.

When I did such things I used a single j hook 7/0 or so through the bottom and out the nose carefull of not hitting the brain or just hooked on the bottom lip. That on a shrimp fly style rig except with only one hook and made of 90# ss cable. By far baby blues were my go to and landed many decent lings my first year doing it. Got freight trained by an unknown fish too with that method. The key is not setting on the strike but letting them chew for at least a 10 count.

After doing that for a season I realized lingcod ate iron and fished that for them mainly. Much later I learned the magic of big swimbaits from Dan/dpshim. They are by far my most effective weapon even in comparison to live RF. No bait catching, wondering if they are ignoring it because it's dead, less snags, and only one knot to tie.

A small fresh dead octopus is great as well pinned on the assist hook of an iron and drifted slow. I must emphasize small and dead though because I have very poor luck with octopus bigger than an average hand or live ones any size. Good luck and post the report.    

Would you be willing to clue me in to "the magic of big swimbaits from Dan/dpshim"?  Also, what do you mean by "I realized lingcod ate iron..."?  Thank all of you for the great replies & information.

When I did such things I used a single j hook 7/0 or so through the bottom and out the nose carefull of not hitting the brain or just hooked on the bottom lip. That on a shrimp fly style rig except with only one hook and made of 90# ss cable. By far baby blues were my go to and landed many decent lings my first year doing it. Got freight trained by an unknown fish too with that method. The key is not setting on the strike but letting them chew for at least a 10 count.

After doing that for a season I realized lingcod ate iron and fished that for them mainly. Much later I learned the magic of big swimbaits from Dan/dpshim. They are by far my most effective weapon even in comparison to live RF. No bait catching, wondering if they are ignoring it because it's dead, less snags, and only one knot to tie.

A small fresh dead octopus is great as well pinned on the assist hook of an iron and drifted slow. I must emphasize small and dead though because I have very poor luck with octopus bigger than an average hand or live ones any size. Good luck and post the report.    

Would you be willing to clue me in to "the magic of big swimbaits from Dan/dpshim"?  Also, what do you mean by "I realized lingcod ate iron..."?  Thank all of you for the great replies & information.

Big Hammer swim baits with lead heads made by Andy1976.  Christmas Tree, Halloween colors are good.  Dpdhim has a trick for securing a treble hook too.  PM him.   Use site's search function for "big hammer".  Go with the bigger sizes. 

Hope I didn't step on MH's toes but DPshim dialed  me in too.   

Ravensblack is a big hammer expert too. 

I might also search DC's posts too.  His rigs catch fish!


Eric Morgan
Trident Ultra 4.7
Not the guy selling the Outback
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Caught the ling in my aviator with a two pound blue.  When I feel I've hooked a small rock fish I just leave it a few minutes.  I agree san dabs and greenling are better bait.  Thanks captainmorgan. Still doing jig heads got about 5 or six orders to send out but can make them any time.

No magic really just that lings love 6" plus swimbaits and for me the 7" Fish Trap brand is the go to. I have done very well on the 6" Reaction Innovations big dipper as well. Although effective I stay away from Big Hammers because they tend to require glue to stay on after a few fish. The BH's also thump harder on the swim which personally I'm not a fan of. I don't use the assist/trailer hook because IMO the lings eat em head first and I want the lure as snagless as possible. I like lighter heads around 1.5oz w/ a 7/0 hook and typically jig the swimbait in the kelp or make casts and yo-yo back. I will also use the swimbait on a slow drift typically dead sticking the lure.

When I am on a fast drift or if the swimbait isn't getting bit I switch over to an iron which is essentially any metal based jig. The ones I use are made of lead and intended for vertical jigging and flutter more or less on the fall. Think of a Shimano butterfly jig. I like to use the assist hook that dangles from where the iron is tied on to your line and leave the back hook off. For irons I will go as light a 1oz in the kelp if I am fishing for a limit of RF. If I am drifting or targeting lings I use 3oz or more. For presentation it depends. If I am using bait like octopus I dead stick the iron and if no bait then I do the typical vertical jig jerk and fall. Sometimes I do it blue water style where you reel up halfway or so and let it flutter back down. The iron bite is very specific though and I usually find it effective when there is a lot of bait swimming around.                 

No magic really just that lings love 6" plus swimbaits and for me the 7" Fish Trap brand is the go to. I have done very well on the 6" Reaction Innovations big dipper as well. Although effective I stay away from Big Hammers because they tend to require glue to stay on after a few fish. The BH's also thump harder on the swim which personally I'm not a fan of. I don't use the assist/trailer hook because IMO the lings eat em head first and I want the lure as snagless as possible. I like lighter heads around 1.5oz w/ a 7/0 hook and typically jig the swimbait in the kelp or make casts and yo-yo back. I will also use the swimbait on a slow drift typically dead sticking the lure.

When I am on a fast drift or if the swimbait isn't getting bit I switch over to an iron which is essentially any metal based jig. The ones I use are made of lead and intended for vertical jigging and flutter more or less on the fall. Think of a Shimano butterfly jig. I like to use the assist hook that dangles from where the iron is tied on to your line and leave the back hook off. For irons I will go as light a 1oz in the kelp if I am fishing for a limit of RF. If I am drifting or targeting lings I use 3oz or more. For presentation it depends. If I am using bait like octopus I dead stick the iron and if no bait then I do the typical vertical jig jerk and fall. Sometimes I do it blue water style where you reel up halfway or so and let it flutter back down. The iron bite is very specific though and I usually find it effective when there is a lot of bait swimming around.                 

Thanks for the reply, MH.  I went to Outdoor Pro Shop in Santa Rosa today & the guy there repeated a lot of what you wrote in your reply & now the terminology makes sense.  I don't know what you mean by "The iron bite is very specific and I usually find it effective when there is a lot of bait swimiming around...."  Thank you for the hand up & the great detail.