I'm going to make a couple trips out toward Neah Bay over the next month or two. Probably stay at Snow Ck. Simple question. What size Ling Cod are the best eating? I don't want to kill a big fish just to kill a big fish. I'd rather retain a fish that makes for good eats. Any thoughts?

GPS coordinates wouldn't hurt either.

8-12 pounders in my opinion. After years of working on charter boats and getting to keep the smaller fish and giving up the bigger fish to customers who did'nt catch them I have found that the crew are usually getting the better end of the deal. On the other hand, the cheeks from those big bubba lings are better than any halibut cheek that I have eaten. Have fun out there and good luck.-TBJ

Second that Dave! We like to keep the ones you don't have to measure for either side of the slot limit. Not too small, not too big......BONK! Nice, firm white (or that cool blueish) flesh that cooks up nicely. The fish at the upper end of slot are older, probably female, and IMO have softer flesh, sometimes more worms, etc.

No GPS coordinates but I know how to get them in Puget Sound.

Ike

I like to catch and keep the 15-20 range lings.Good luck,
STRIKE ZONE

Ling cod over 20 pounds are usually spawning females and big lings are often very wormy.

I've made a practice of releasing lings over 20 pounds whenever possible.

TBJ's suggest 8-12 pound fish would be my fish dinner choice.

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. Ate half of the 30" fish I caught yesterday. Good eats. First Ling I've ever caught while actually trying to fish for them. All the others came as incidental catch to the incidental rock cod I've caught while jigging for salmon.