Tie a two hook rig similar to a salmon mooching leader using 8/0 to 10/0 hooks on forty pound test mono. You need a heavy leader because lings are toothy critters. If you toss jigs, be sure to use a wire leader for the same reason.

Sole are excellent ling cod bait as are kelp geenling fished live. Don't be in a hurry to set the hook, wait until your rodtip is pulled into the water, then reel slowly. Frequently large lings will not be hooked, merely holding the bait fish. Do not raise their head out of the water when netting.

It is illegal to gaff lingcod in Washington State. Any ling over 20 pounds is a female. I'd urge you to practice catch & release on the big mommas.

They tend to be tough and wormy so are not as good a table fare as the smaller ones anyway.

I don't know if you can find it anywhere, perhaps through the regional library system, but if you can find "NewTechniques for Catching Bottom Fish by Doug Wilson and Fred Vander Werff, it covers ling cod and other bottom fishing well. It has been out of print for several years.

Tight Lines,

Sebases AKA Doug Wilson