Dispatch Method:

Beware of the sharp gill covers, dorsal spines and teeth of ling cod when handling them. Ling cod can be very tolerant of air exposure. To maximise their eating qualities they should be killed humanely by iki jime, or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.

Fish Description:

• Lingcod are an elongate species with a gray/ brown or greenish/bluish body colour with darker and lighter mottling. The lateral line is a lighter colour.
  
• The dorsal fin is long and the anal fin has 3 spines. The mouth is large with large and canine-like teeth and the upper jaw extends rearward past the eyes.

Fish Distribution:

• Ling cod occur on the west coast of the USA from Mexico north to Canada and Alaska as far west as the Shumagin Islands.
  
• They are bottom dwellers, the juveniles can be encountered from the intertidal zone in estuaries, while adults occur offshore on rocky reefs at depths of up to 1400 feet, where they feed mostly on other fishes, crustaceans, octopus and squid.

Fish Size Common Length:

Common between 24 and 40 inches long. Maximum size around 5 feet (60 inches) long and 130 pounds.