Species guide · California

Lingcod fishing in California

Ophiodon elongatus, a nearshore species also called ling, lings and ling cod. Listed for the Northern California and Southern California regions. Peak season, about 4 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm at 77, one of 11 California bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Peak season

Where it's scoring now All California waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

Northern California

Peak season, about 4 more weeks

Jan: Shoulder season
Feb: Off season
Mar: Off season
Apr: Peak season
May: Peak season
Jun: Shoulder season
Jul: Shoulder season
Aug: Shoulder season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Peak season
Nov: Peak season
Dec: Shoulder season

Peak: Apr to May, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Jan.

Research notes, Northern California region

Post-spawn fish feed hard in spring and large fish move onto shallow reefs in fall ahead of spawning. 2026 boat groundfish season in the Northern, Mendocino, San Francisco and Central areas is closed Jan 1 to Mar 31 and open Apr 1 to Dec 31 at all depths; shore anglers and divers are exempt from season and depth limits. Minimum size 22 inches.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Southern California

Peak season, about 8 more weeks

Jan: Shoulder season
Feb: Off season
Mar: Off season
Apr: Peak season
May: Shoulder season
Jun: Shoulder season
Jul: Shoulder season
Aug: Shoulder season
Sep: Shoulder season
Oct: Shoulder season
Nov: Peak season
Dec: Peak season

Peak: Apr, Nov to Dec. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Jan.

Research notes, Southern California region

Less abundant than farther north, caught on deeper rocky reefs and around the Channel Islands. 2026 Southern Management Area: boat groundfish closed Jan 1 to Mar 31, all depths Apr 1 to Jun 30, inside 50 fathoms Jul 1 to Sep 30, and Oct 1 to Dec 31 open for lingcod only seaward of 50 fathoms. Seasonality here is low confidence.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 11

California bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's lingcod score this hour.

77Great

Coastal waters from Cape Mendocino to Pt. Arena CA out 10 nm

Best window today 7-9 PM (77) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (79) · 28 named spots

77Great

Humboldt Bay

Best window today 7-9 PM (77) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (80) · 28 named spots

76Great

Coastal Waters from Point Arena to Point Reyes California out to 10 nm

Best window today 7-9 PM (76) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (79) · 27 named spots

76Great

San Pablo Bay, Suisun Bay, the West Delta and the San Francisco Bay north of the Bay Bridge

Best window today 7-8 PM (76) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (80) · 159 named spots

75Great

Monterey Bay

Best window today 7-9 PM (75) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (78) · 50 named spots

75Great

San Francisco Bay South of the Bay Bridge

Best window today 7-9 PM (75) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (79) · 30 named spots

75Great

Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands

Best window today 7-9 PM (75) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (79) · 61 named spots

71Great

East Santa Barbara Channel from Pt. Conception to Pt. Mugu CA including Santa Cruz Island

Best window today 7-9 PM (71) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (75) · 17 named spots

70Great

Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Pt. CA including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Islands

Best window today 7-9 PM (70) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (74) · 117 named spots

70Great

Outer waters from Santa Cruz Island to San Clemente Island to 60 NM offshore including San Nicolas and Santa Barbara Islands

Best window today 7-9 PM (70) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (74) · 9 named spots

65Great

Humboldt Bay Bar

Best window today 7-11 PM (65) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (72)

How and where it feeds

Water temperature: Feeds from 42°F to 62°F, best between 46°F and 55°F.
Water depth: 10 to 330 ft of water.
Structure: Reef, pinnacle, ledge, kelp, jetty, point and channel, in that order of preference.
Tide and current: Prefers moving water and incoming tide, with light current.ADF&G's Sitka guide says lingcod wait on reef tops and outcrops for tidal current to bring bait past and often feed when the tide is running; at slack, fish deeper. ODFW recommends incoming tides for shore anglers on jetties. In big-tide inside waters, strong current makes it hard to keep a jig near the bottom, so the building and easing parts of the tide are the practical windows.
Light: Some lift around dawn and dusk.
Pressure: Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits: 20 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Lingcod ambush prey from rock outcrops, reef edges and kelp where current runs, most often in 30 to 300 feet, and males move shallow to guard nests in winter. Drift over the reef bouncing a lead-head swimbait or metal jig on the bottom, or fish herring or squid on a heavy leader, since their teeth cut light line. From jetties and rocky shore, work bait or jigs along the rocks on the incoming tide.

Methods: vertical jigging, drift fishing, bait fishing on the bottom, casting from jetties and rocky shore
Lures: 6 to 12 oz lead-head jigs with swimbait or grub tails, metal bar and diamond jigs, silver spoons, large curly-tail grubs
Bait: herring, whole squid, octopus, salmon belly strips, live small fish where legal

Regulations

CDFW saltwater regulations Buy a California fishing license License types

California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with CDFW Oct 31, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

Northern Management AreaRetention open