Fernandez Charters
Species guide
Ling Cod
Ophiodon elongatus
Prehistoric, toothy, and always willing
Ling cod are ambush predators that sit on high-relief rock and hammer anything that swims past. They are aggressive enough that they will often follow a hooked rockfish all the way to the surface, and they produce some of the best fillets on the West Coast.
- Season
- Rockfish season, typically spring through late fall
- Best bite
- Slack-to-moving tide over hard structure
- Typical size
- 5–15 lb, with 20 lb-plus fish on deep hard bottom
- Where we fish
- Deep rock pinnacles and hard bottom off Point Loma and the Islands
How we catch them
- Heavy leadhead swimbaits on the bottom
- Live mackerel on a dropper loop
- Vertical jigs worked just off the rocks
Tackle we use
- 50–65 lb braid
- 6–16 oz weights depending on depth and drift
- Heavy conventional gear
Baits & lures
- Live mackerel
- Squid
- Large swimbaits
- Metal jigs
Captain's tips
- Keep the bait within a few feet of the bottom.
- Never stop reeling — lings let go at the surface.
- Bring a big net; they thrash hard at the rail.
Table quality
Excellent — thick, firm fillets, sometimes blue-tinted (harmless, cooks white).
Regulations
Season, depth restrictions, and size limits change annually — we follow current CDFW groundfish rules.
Ready to target Ling Cod?
Private charters aboard the Kate Elizabeth out of Seaforth Marina, Mission Bay.
(619) 431-3070