UTERLingcod fishing in Oregon Coast
In Oregon Coast, lingcod peak December–October and are around year-round, spawning in December–February, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Males guarding nests in the shallows — release the big ones.
Bay kings and coho; Chetco terminal kings. The bays until the first big rain pulls the fish upriver; big late kings off the Chetco mouth.
Lingcod in Oregon Coast, month by month
- JanuarySpawningMales guarding nests in the shallows — release the big ones.
- FebruarySpawningPeak winter steelhead. Coast river lower drifts after the rain; jetty rockfish on calm days.
- MarchPeakBig females after the spawn on the nearshore reefs.
- AprilPeakOcean kings open; redtail perch on the beaches. Troll herring on the 120–200 ft line when the bar lets you out; perch on sand shrimp in the surf.
- MayPeakEvery jetty and reef from Brookings to Astoria; jigs and swimbaits.
- JunePeakHalibut, rockfish, kings — and the first coho. Heceta and Stonewall Banks for halibut; hatchery-coho ocean season starts. Albacore arrive late month.
- JulyPeakAlbacore arrive; salmon offshore. Tuna 20–50 nm out on the warm break; coho on the color breaks; rockfish limits inshore.
- AugustPeakOffshore pinnacles on the calm days.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeakBay kings and coho; Chetco terminal kings. The bays until the first big rain pulls the fish upriver; big late kings off the Chetco mouth.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberSpawningSpawning begins.
Where to fish lingcod near Brookings, Coos Bay, Newport
Three hundred miles of headlands, jetties and drowned river bays — Chetco, Rogue, Coos, Umpqua, Siuslaw, Alsea, Yaquina, Siletz, Nestucca, Tillamook — with Heceta and Stonewall Banks offshore and the Columbia's mouth at the top.
Fish Scouter charts 51 wreck spots in the The Oregon Coast map area — the kinds lingcod hold on.
What to use for lingcod
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 42–60°F water, best at 46–54°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch lingcod in Oregon Coast?
Peak season is December–October, with fish spawning in December–February (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Lingcod are here year-round. January: Males guarding nests in the shallows — release the big ones.
Where do lingcod hold in Oregon Coast?
Look on artificial reef, ledge / hard bottom, pass / inlet — around Brookings, Coos Bay, Newport, Depoe Bay, Garibaldi, Astoria.
What is the best bait for lingcod in Oregon Coast?
Live bait: squid, herring. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for lingcod in Oregon Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and change — read the current rule at https://myodfw.com/fishing/marine-zone before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myodfw.com/fishing/licensing-info.
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