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Exploring the beautiful nature of California


Marine Fish: Lingcod


Fishes are aquatic vertebrates that have fins, gills and scales. Gills are the part of the respiratory system that provide surface area for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide under water.

Fish are ectotherms, commonly referred to as 'cold-blooded', meaning their temperature is regulated by the temperature of their environment. They have a range of diets, being herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Some fish reproduce by laying eggs, while others reproduce by bearing live young.

California fish species reside in freshwater and coastal/marine waters. Coastal, or marine fish are an abundant and valuable resource. However, the ocean's supply is not limitless, and therefore careful planning and education must be undertaken to ensure the sustainability of the world's largest food source.
Feamle lingcods can get over 100 pounds  Lingcod live throughout the West Coast, from Alaska's Aleutian Islands, throughout British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California & down the west coast of Baja Mexico. Female lingcod can reach weights exceeding 100 pounds, while male lingcod seldom reach weights over 15 pounds.

Lingcod are largely non migratory and colonize or "recruit" in localized areas. Lingcod live on the bottom, but may feed throughout the water column. And unlike many other bottom fish species like rockfish, lingcod do not have an air bladder, which enables them to freely swim up and down the water column without injury.

When feeding, lingcod attack their prey and especially enjoy chasing anything that flees from their rows of sharp teeth. In the underwater world of lingcod, it is an "eat or be eaten" world. Lingcod will even eat their younger, smaller brothers, sisters or cousins.
During fall months lingcod move from their rocky, often times steep bottom areas to nearshore areas to spawn. Males migrate first, and establish a site with strong currents and rocky crevices, ledges or rock outcropping.

Spawning takes place sometime between December and March, depending area and water temperatures. After depositing their eggs in a sticky mass in a rocky crevice near bottom, the females leave the area immediately, leaving male lingcod to guard the nest. When guarding the lingcod egg nest, the male lingcod will attack anything, including lures that invade their territory. Predators attempting to eat lingcod eggs will be in for a fight against the male lingcod.

The lingcod eggs will hatch in early March through late April or early May, depending on area and when the female lingcod laid her eggs.  In late May through early June juvenile lingcod settle to the bottom, near eel grass beds. Eventually they will move to non-typical areas for older lingcod, usually flat, sandy areas.
lingcod can be caught off the coast of California  They will remain in these flat, sandy areas for up to three years before "recruiting" to typical lingcod habitat consisting of pinnacles, rocky outcroppings, steep ledges or other areas with "underwater hydraulic relief zones." These areas have current that sweeps over them, along with unsuspecting baitfish and rockfish. The relief zone is the area on the back side of the rock or ledge, where lingcod wait to ambush their prey.

Female lingcod can live for dozens of years, while male lingcod live a maximum of just 14 years. Marine mammals such as sea lions and harbor seals are a lingcod's main enemy. One marine mammal can devastate a lingcod population in an fairly large area.

Lingcod fishing along the Pacific Ocean's West Coast can be awesome, if you know where to fish for lingcod and know what lingcod fishing lure or bait to use. Sport or commercial anglers can haul lingcod from depths of 500-feet or more to the surface and release them unharmed.
 
 
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