RPT Ocean Cove 5/10

I got to hit Ocean Cove today with Revrat and Mikegrnwd. I have met fished with either of them before and I haven’t been to OC in a few years, but there was a hookup posted and it sounded like fun. Both revrat and mike are good guys and I had a great time.

I got a nice early start and was driving on River Rd through Monte Rio in the dark around 5am when I saw some lady doing some guerrilla gardening at the stop sign in Monte Rio. I guess she wanted to make it look better? Pretty funny so I made sure to snap a pic on the way back!

I got to OC first around 6ish and started unloading. Revrat showed up just after me and then Mike a little later. The water was beautiful and we started to fish.

On my first drop I got a small ling. Then another small ling. Then a slow steady pick of fish.

I was fishing along and hooked up with what felt like a good fish. Then it stopped pulling and I felt like I was reeling in a garbage bag. At first I thought I had maybe hooked kelp and was pulling it in, but every once in a while I would feel a head shake and more weight.

I slowly reeled my “kelp” in and when I could see color I saw I had a decent 28in class ling hooked and it looked like a seal was trying to take it. Damn furbag!! Reel up closer any oh god oh god oh god oh god it is the biggest lingcod I have ever seen attempting to eat the one I have hooked!!!

I manage to keep my cool somehow and I get my net ready. Meanwhile the two kings are chilling maybe 6 feet under the kayak. I submerge my net and slow slow slow lift the two lingcod up. By some miracle the big hitchhiker doesn’t let go and I am able to get my net under them. I lift the net and the big one let’s go and dives hard into the net! She absolutely explodes in the net and almost pulls me over! Meanwhile the other ling is a middle headed for the bottom. It is absolute mayhem in my kayak and I try to control two pissed off lings!

I can for help on the radio and Revrat is nearby and comes over. I hand off my rod with the still hooked and fighting ling to him as I try to handle the ling in my net who is doing her best to rip the net apart or out of my hands. I was safely able to game clip and subdue the big ling as mike comes back with the smaller one and my rod. The smaller one is released after I took pictures of the teeth marks on it.

We continue to fish and I don’t even care if I catch anymore after what just happened, but the fishing is still good and I land numerous lings and rockfish. I kept a 22.25 inch canary, 2 Verms, a copper, and an olive. Lots more we’re safely released.

The wind really picked up from about 9 till 10 and then died down again. I think we fished till around 230 or so.

Oh the big ling? 41.25 inches and I didn’t bring a scale. 

Well done man!  That's a hawg for sure.  I had the same thing happen to me there last year, but I lost mine so good work on the net job!

Norm

Nice writeup and monster lingcod!

I enjoyed the reading. Great report.

What a rager!  Party on ling style!

So the secret is to live bait keeper lings?

Excellent report, was totally there not knowing if the big one was gonna get caught or somehow landed.

No gaff?

Nice lingcod.   

Great write up! Thanks for sharing.

Nice! Congratulations on a great day of fishing.

No gaff?

I tried to gaff a hitchhiker that was clamped onto a 28 inch ling, and it did not go well. I like the gaff for halibut, but for hitchhikers I would opt for the net.

Whoa Dude...now that's a ling!

Nice! Congratulations on a great day of fishing.

No gaff?

I tried to gaff a hitchhiker that was clamped onto a 28 inch ling, and it did not go well. I like the gaff for halibut, but for hitchhikers I would opt for the net.

Huh interesting so these monster ling prefer to latch onto a 28" bait and netting is the preferred method of securing.

Nicely done. Congrats John!

I’m glad everyone enjoyed the story and pictures.

As far as net v gaff I prefer to net. I don’t think I could have controlled what was going on with a gaff. Heck most of the time with lings I just use a gripper so I can shake them off.

Wow!  Congrats man!