When do the Ling Cod start spawning

[tady]

I remember some postings last Febuary or March about Ling Cod spawning in the shallows on the Coast. I would like to go fishing for them, were are some good places to fish for them? Do any of the charter operations target these fish during the spawning season?

I am planning to only keep the smaller fish that I catch, the larger ones (18Lbs+) do not taste as good as the smaller ones.

Any input is greatly appreciated

Tady

It's not a good time to harvest them. Leave them alone so we will have healthy populations in the future.

[WildHawg]

With all due respect Keta, I have to disagree.
Respectful and limted harvest of fish 30' or so and under would limit most of the catch to males, with a few young females in the mix.
The way I fish for cabezon and black rocks it's inevitable that we will hook a ling or 10 while targeting other species. If I should catch a nice tasty ling for supper, I will likely add it to my bag.
Targeting and then harvesting females in the late winter/early spring would be akin to fishing chinook on their spawning beds--unethical.
Sounds like Tady's goal is to get a couple of bottomfish for his supper--I can't begrudge him that.
Best bottomfishing ports would be Brookings, Newport, or Depoe Bay on the coast. Be DAMN careful out there--and if you decide to try Depoe, go with someone who has been over first.
Good Luck, 'Hawg

The males guard the egg mass from smaller fish and when they are caught the eggs are eaten. No eggs = no future fish.

I would be the last person to deny someone a fish for the table but targeting spawning fish is not the right thing to do.

[ 01-28-2004, 07:00 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[Mark Mc]

Wildhog can guard the eggs... he's one tough guy for sure. I wouldn't try to steal any eggs from him, chicken or fish :grin:

BTW Lee, it was realy good to finally meet you in person. It was the social high point for me last Saturday! I wanted to say g'bye when I left the Rogue, but you and Eric were in a very intense conversation to solve the world's (Oregon's) problems. Did you guys fix anything?

[ 01-28-2004, 07:09 AM: Message edited by: Mark Mc ]

Mark,
Not yet :smile:
It was nice to put a face on you :grin: . I wish there was more time to talk with everyone.
Your daughter is a sweety.

[fish assassin]

Although it *sounds* good that the males are "guarding" the nest, there is
more to it then that ... The only reason the smaller males are guarding the nest
is so that when the eggs hatch they can eat the little fishies. :shocked: :grin: :shocked:
So it'a not as if the males are actually doing that much of a service by
being there, IfYaKnowWhatIMean. The LARGE females lay on the order
of hundreds of thousands of eggs at a time. It's a *lot* more important
to leave the large females in the population than to worry about taking a
few small males ... (IMHO)

-assAssin- (*REAL* men don't eat farmed fish)

Originally posted by Keta:
The males guard the egg mass from smaller fish and when they are caught the eggs are eaten. No eggs = no future fish.

I would be the last person to deny someone a fish for the table but targeting spawning fish is not the right thing to do.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">

[corrirod]

Male lingcod eat their young too?

I thought only Meter Maids in downtown Portland did that? :tongue: :tongue:

[Threemuch]

Keta is 100% right. If you dive, you know. Those males in 50' of water are sitting on nests guarding the eggs. The big girls come in, spawn, and leave.

I shot an 8 pound ling once on a rock. Once he was on the stringer, rockfish came out of the woodwork and decimated the nest. Even a quick C&R on hook and line and this guy would have lost his clutch of eggs.

Lings spawn from December through March. I try not to target the really shallow stuff during this time. My diving experience says that most spawners are in 50' or less. Maybe Capt Kujo has an opinion, since he dives more regularly than I. If you catch lots of small lings in this depth range, you are doing damage. Males can spawn at 20".

Alaska department of fish and game has good info.

ADFG Lingcod

Fortunately, I think the natural Pacific NW weather pattern provides a pretty good moratorium on fishing for lings for most of their spawning season.

[Threemuch]

I don't think I believe that. I have observed firsthand the males guarding, and I have observed firsthand what happens when they get taken.

The fry are 1/2" or less long. Pretty slim pickens for a ling. Why wait until they hatch? Why not eat the eggs?

I mean, does this guy really look like he is waiting to eat his young? Maybe...
:smile:

[tady]

Well I am convinced... I will leave the Lings alone this Spring. Thanks for all the input.

Tady

tady,
You are a "Wise User" Pound 'em the rest of the year :grin:

Seeing a male guard it's nest is cool. Long ago I also speared one guarding its nest and saw the destruction of the eggs, never again.

Three,
Thanks for posting the photograph :smile:

[ 01-28-2004, 05:51 PM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[WildHawg]

Mark and Lee,
Based on the limted opportunity we've had to get to know one another, I'd share (most :tongue: ) anything I have with either of you .
Lee volunteered to filet my 'but last year on the opener, and would take nothing but a thank you for it.
Mark is just one of those people that make you feel comfortable from the minute you meet them.
Since I respect both of your opinions, I shall refrain from targeting Ling's nearshore until after February as well.
As you may remember, I already commented that I would not keep anymore large female Ling's after our spanky doodle 4 out of 4 over 40" fest this year in early September. Great fun catching them, great pictures, but I think I've passed into the 3rd stage of fishing--in which trophy quality is not judged by size alone anymore.
They are of too great of value to our nearshore waters to kill for the tough meat they provide.
I KNOW I will regret this :depressed: , but I pledge to release any Hali's that might go over 100#'s for the very same reason. They are more valuable alive, than in my families tummy.
I had no idea about the males--though I believe a cloud of baby lings might be a tempting treat, the first hand accounts of what happens when one removes the male from the scene is enough to convince me.
Man, I hope I can make a TA meeting someday. My schedules funky, but I'll get there!!!!

WH,
I don't have any problems with killing fish or seeing others doing it :grin: I just want to be able to do it forever. I'll clean fish for you anytime

[ANDYCOHO]

WOW!!! This is some good info!

I grew up reading Hunting and Fishing News and they would constantly talk about this being the time to target Ling's in the Jetties.

I would have never have known the whole story. I consider myself fully edumicated now

[skein]

Wildhawg,

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Skein

[Jimmy Carl Black]

Keta is full of it. I saw a picture of him at a PETA rally last summer. He's really just a spy. :shocked:

[skein]

Wow, Jimmy, that would really be sumpthin' to see. Keta at a PETA rally. :shocked:

They would never be the same. :grin:

Skein

They all ran when I pulled out my gaff and spike :grin:

[puffins crew]

Hey Keta,

Did you bring one of your sheep all dressed up for show? ROFL!!! :grin:

Peace, Tom

They told me that I was cruel and UNUSUAL :grin:

[Born to be Wild]

That's some good info guys.

I don't think it will detour me from fishing the rocks in February/March when you have the best bite of the year for catching ling's.

The ling's are healthy and getting healthier by the minute since they cut the commercials way back.

Catching a ling off the rocks in February might or might not be pulling them away from the nest.
I'm not going to throw a 24" great eating ling back into the water just so that it could get eaten by a larger ling or another sport or commercial fisherman or seal.

Using the same logic you should release a wild chinook caught in a bay or tidewater.
Afterall, they are getting ready to spawn and you are targeting them at spawning time also.

I requested a slot limit on lings way back when Jerry Butler was in command approx. 15 years ago.
I saw too many small ling's kept on certain charter boats and by some fishermen off the rocks.
These were about the size of greenling.
Too me it was like killing a smolt.

On the other hand I got to the point of filling ill when I would see these 20# plus lings come in on the charter boats especially the 30-40 pounders.
A good friend of mine still targets those big ugly hogs at the tug and other destinations and I sarcastically tease him about it every time.
Take a pic of it and release it I tell him.

Well we finally got a minimum size limit of 22" and a reduction in dailey bag limit.
Then it went to 24", then to 24"-34" and now back to 24".
Don Bodenmiller told me he was pretty much hearing from public meetings that they wanted to do away with the max size limit.
I know a lot of folks that wanted to keep it.

I would still like to see the max or slot limit reinstated and if there are those of you out there that feel the same, I would get involved.
It is there for the taking.

February is a great time for rock fishermen to take advantage and catch these tasty morsels from the rocks and a lot of these fishermen do not have boats and cannot afford the costly charters.

So I really don't have any problem with fishing ling's during there spawning months.
If the stocks were realy depressed that would be a different story.
The eggs don't go to waste and feed other fish in the aforementioned scenario.

As I said, there is really no difference in killing a fall chinook in a bay for those eggs are not going to produce any little guys and girls either.
Might end up on my drift rod though. :grin:

Tight lines!

Dano

PS&gt; Oh, and hello Salty's!

[Akuracy503]

Born to be wild does have a point, alot of fisherman dont have the proper boat to fish the ocean for Lings, and this is an opportune time for bank fisherman.

If there was such a concern then why sport fish for any species at all?? go spend your time as a lobbiest/politician..

and besides the fact that sportfishing catch is minimal compared to the commercial.

everyone trying to be a hero and take political stands, no one is better than the other as long as the rules are followed.

[stick flicker]

Goods to see that everyone realy cares so much about the future of Oregon's marine fisheries. Its good to hear such a good discusson on lingcod life history. It wasn't that long ago that this information wasn't availble to managers. In fact little is known about many species that we currently managing. The incorperation of this life history data into management is critical it's my hope for the future. On another interesting notes researcher's are finding that genetic's in marine fish species may play a large role in thier actual long term sucess. Ensuring that older fish reside in the population wil promote this diversity. By exploring issue's like genetic diversity, and life history can only promote our respect and knowledge for the vast diversity of marine fish.

[WildHawg]

Good post Dano,
You are right in many ways. Fishing from the rocks is a hazardous sport--with few windows of opportunity. Catching a few nearshore fish will probably not hurt the overall population.
I used to love to fish from the South Jetty at Tillamook for large lings that were spawning, and kept several in the 20-35# class off the rocks there.
I ask you though--what is the difference between removing them when they are staging to spawn, or spawning, versus last September when you educated me about the importance of releasing large females? My personal philosophy (thanks in part to you) is to release all the big girls, and focus on the tastier juvenilles. Male or female though, it sounds like it's a bad time to harrass 'em in the first place, dangit!
Private message me Dano, and let's exchange #'s.

[Born to be Wild]

.

Well Wild Dawg Hawg, Charle , if you caught that big of ling off the rocks, then you should be writing the book on surf fishing instead of me. :grin:

The season is open all year with the exception of last years first ever closure.

I would prefer that the ocean be closed from November to March to prevent special interest groups in harvesting or incidentally killing rockfish while they are spawning.
This also would prevent some mariners from fishing during the winter ocean conditions that often times are hazardous.

This would allow most rockfish to spawn in peace, if you will.

There are many different ways to manage fish and many different stradigies, but I say go with the most sound scientific way of accomplishing that.

Release the big girls regardless of the reg's, and keep the younger for the table fare.

These ling's aren't in a desperate or threatened situation and enjoy the God given tasty treat that is there for you.


There is no reason for a "guilt trip" for catching a ling.
It only takes approx. 4-5 years to provide you a legal 24" and that is relatively fast compared to their rockfish cousins.

Again, these are not a "threatened" species, and there is no harm done in harvesting some of these even during the spawning season.

To think otherwise would be to alleviate many other fisheries.

Dan

[ 01-31-2004, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: Born to be Wild ]

[Abalone]

[

I would prefer that the ocean be closed from November to March to prevent special interest groups in harvesting or incidentally killing rockfish while they are spawning.
This also would prevent some charters hungary for money to not take the chance of "do or die" with the winter ocean conditions.

I like your train of thought but I think the Canadian approach might be an idea to consider. In order to keep their Rock fish Stocks from depleting they adopted the idea of Creating Nurseries around the major fishing grounds. Such as Swiftshore. They designate areas that are used by fish to spawn and create Fishing Free Zones. They are closed all year long and no one can fish inside.

Imagine the Rock Pile at Newport that has about 1/3 zoned off. Everyone you talk to up on the West coast of Vancouver Island will tell you the Bottom fishing has made a remarkable recovery.
In some place the areas aren't that large. I was at Quatsino Sound two years ago and the locals
said the Halibut fishing is better than it had been for years because of the Nursery at the light house.

There are certain locations that serve as spawning grounds for all kinds of fish and they should be
protected. The rest of the area can take the pressure.

Pacific Rockfish (Sebastes) usually only migrate vertically on structure and won't travel. They also give live birth.

[Born to be Wild]

"Pacific Rockfish (Sebastes) usually only migrate vertically on structure and won't travel. They also give live birth".

Actually Lee, rockfish lay eggs and it is the surf perch and sea perch that bear live young.

When you catch black rockfish in December you will see the eggs in the females that are getting ready to spawn just prior to the lings spawning.
It seems most of the sabastes spawn that time of year but if I recall you see some sabastes spawn later in the spring or summer.
China rockfish comes to mind and I feel they are a bit over fished.
Folks might want to practice catch and release on them before it becomes mandatory.

Keta, I'm down on the Oregon coast this weekend and don't have your number with me.
Email it to me so I can call and say hello.

I'm going to edit my previous post of name labeling.
That issue has bothered me for many years and is a valid point but can pertain to all mariners for other reasons also.

Dan

[ 01-31-2004, 12:14 PM: Message edited by: Born to be Wild ]

B to be W,

I've seen them spawning (38 years of diving), clouds of larvae (zooplankton).

Although rockfish are sometimes reported as being ovoviviparous (bearing live young without maternal nutrition), many studies have confirmed that they are a primitive viviparous group and supply nutrients to developing embryos

Have fun at the coast. E-mail on the way.


???? "I'm going to edit my previous post of name labeling" ????

[ 01-31-2004, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: Keta ]

[Born to be Wild]

Keta,
email me at the current address I am using on ifish (ddfishing@aol.com).
My ISP in Newport is experiencing problems and I cannot access my web mail there today.
Or give me a quick call on my cell @(360) 560-0201.
I'll call you right back using my unlimited minutes/long distance.

Thanks

I think "Somewhere in between" fits. They come out swiming but have a yolk sack. I don't know if all of them do this. Chum King are you out there? Can you enlighten us with your wisdom?

[Salmonator]

I don't think this particular fish is local but should be relevant. Looks like they live spawn...

http://www.fishbase.org/Reproduction...?alphacode=REG

[Born to be Wild]

???? "I'm going to edit my previous post of name labeling" ????

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Oh, no biggie.
I've done my share of critisizing a certain user group over the years for fishing too risky ocean conditions and for the most part just agreed with guys like Dockside Charters and said it was an accident waiting to happen.
Well it did and was a sad thing for all of us.

Jim Tate who is one of the owners of Dockside has often agreed with me over the years that it might not be a bad Idea to close the ocean fishing during certain winter months to leave them alone when they are spawning and to reduce the gumption to go when you really shoudn't.
We loose crab fishermen out there year after year becausae they are driven to go at a bad time of year.
Anyway I edited it.

As far as the rockfish, I'm not that up on scientific language and was confused by your post.

After fileting thousands of rockfish over the years and voluntarilly collecting large female black rockfish for Steve Berkley (research scientist) for several years, I never saw a fish live or otherwise inside a rockfish.
Maybe I didn't realize what I was looking at?

Fill me in. Are these eggs, or live young, or somewhere in between?

Dano