Ling this year?

[porgylber]

To say the ling fishing has sucked over the past couple of years would be an understatement. I’ve read a few reports of boats catching them, but not in significant numbers.
What do you think? Will they be a viable fishery this winter?

[jmurr711]

global climate changed has altered the ling. go out in the summer & you'll fill a barrel

[vikesdad]

Miss the winter fishery. Remember piles of ling and sea bass on the Capt Applegate in AC back in late 70s early 80s

[bulletbob]

The ling fishing we all remember was not the same fishery we have today.. Nowadays we more or less fish at anchor for ling on established structure, wrecks,, rock piles and deep water reefs etc.. The ling fishing we once had were huge schools of fishing moving through various areas near shore.. They congregated and stayed in many of the same places they do today, but the vast schools we remember that were mixed with Whiting are gone.. Those fish were everywhere.. from the shoreline on out several miles, and were there every year from november on, Some years they stayed shallow all winter,other years they did not, but they were there every late fall, winter into mid spring, then they were caught deeper on wrecks in summer.

Like most other species that were common and are now MIA, too many were caught and eaten by too many for too long, and too much much of their natal and developmental habitat has been destroyed by draggers.. I might be wrong, but I foresee closed seasons and bag limits in the not too distant future... bob

[porgylber]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

The ling fishing we all remember was not the same fishery we have today.. Nowadays we more or less fish at anchor for ling on established structure, wrecks,, rock piles and deep water reefs etc.. The ling fishing we once had were huge schools of fishing moving through various areas near shore.. They congregated and stayed in many of the same places they do today, but the vast schools we remember that were mixed with Whiting are gone.. Those fish were everywhere.. from the shoreline on out several miles, and were there every year from november on, Some years they stayed shallow all winter,other years they did not, but they were there every late fall, winter into mid spring, then they were caught deeper on wrecks in summer.

Like most other species that were common and are now MIA, too many were caught and eaten by too many for too long, and too much much of their natal and developmental habitat has been destroyed by draggers.. I might be wrong, but I foresee closed seasons and bag limits in the not too distant future... bob

Unfortunately, I think that you are right Bob. Another thing that I’ve noticed, not only are there fewer ling around, but the average size is getting smaller and smaller. I can recall catching big slobs in the old days, with the fish spewing white spunk all over the place. Now, they are relatively babies, when you catch one.

[bulletbob]

repeat post,, sorry

[bulletbob]

Like blackfish they have become a commercial species in the past 20 + years, where they were historically virtually worthless.. I see them frozen all the time up here in wegmans labeled "whiting"... bob

[AndyS]

Just wait till NMFS puts a one fish bag limit on ling.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Just wait till NMFS puts a one fish bag limit on ling.

In all seriousness, I hope it doesn't come to that... I never thought in my lifetime that there would come a day when I could legally take home more freshwater fish than saltwater fish by a wide margin, but yet, here we are.
the main reason?.. people want saltwater fish to eat much more than they do freshwater fish, and will pay a big premium to do so . bob

[jmurr711]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Just wait till NMFS puts a one fish bag limit on ling.

shocked they haven't yet with aholes like this around