Species guide · Washington
Lingcod fishing in Washington
Ophiodon elongatus, a nearshore species also called ling, lings and ling cod. Listed for the Pacific Northwest region. Shoulder season, about 27 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Admiralty Inlet at 66, one of 8 Washington bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Shoulder seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
Pacific Northwest
Shoulder season, about 27 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Shoulder season
- Mar: Shoulder season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Peak season
- Jun: Peak season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Apr to Jun. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.
Research notes, Pacific Northwest region
Washington coast lingcod open about mid-March to mid-October (2026: Mar 14 to Oct 17). Puget Sound lingcod is a short May 1 to June 15 season with a 26 to 36 inch slot. Oregon bottomfish is open at all depths year round in 2026, and winter jetty and shallow-reef lingcod fishing is popular when males move in to nest.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 8
Washington bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's lingcod score this hour.
Best window today 5-8 PM (66) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (73) · 23 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (66) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (72) · 22 named spots
Best window today 5 PM-12 AM (66) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 AM (72) · 308 named spots
Best window today 5-9 PM (67) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 AM (72) · 268 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (68) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 PM (69) · 8 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (70) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 PM (71) · 27 named spots
Best window today 6-10 PM (70) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (72) · 11 named spots
Best window today 6-9 PM (65) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 PM (66) · 20 named spots
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
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Synced with WDFW Sep 16, 2026.
Check regulations No reviewed lingcod rule on file in Marine Area 1, Marine Area 2, Marine Area 3, Marine Area 4, Marine Area 5, Marine Area 6, Marine Area 7, Marine Area 8-1, Marine Area 8-2, Marine Area 9, Marine Area 10, Marine Area 11, Marine Area 12 and Marine Area 13. Check with WDFW.