There’s something magical about watching your kid and his best friend, two 14-year-old boys who usually communicate in memes and Fortnite references, suddenly go dead silent when a 30-pound lingcod slams the jig and starts peeling line off the reel.
We launched out of Skyline Marina in Anacortes on a crisp June morning (the kind of day where the Olympics are sharp enough to cut glass). Lingcod season had just reopened, the tides were perfect, and the weather gods decided to cut us a break with light winds and no rain. In the Pacific Northwest, that’s basically winning the lottery.
Why the San Juans are Lingcod Heaven
If you’ve never fished here, picture this: steep underwater cliffs dropping from 20 feet to 200+ in the space of a boat length, strong tidal currents that stack bait against structure, and a population of lingcod that have clearly never read the “average size” section of the regulations. These fish are ambush predators built like football players with underbites, and they absolutely maul jigs in 60–100 feet of water this time of year.
We targeted a couple of classic spots:
- A submerged reef near a buoy on the Canadian border where the current rips
- A secret little pinnacle I’m not telling you about (okay, fine, it’s near Sucia Islands, but that’s all you’re getting)
The Gear That Worked
- Rods: 6’6” medium-heavy casting rods (the boys wanted to throw jigs, not mooch)
- Reels: Penn General Purpose Level Wind Conventional Reel with 60lb braid and a 30lb mono leader you can snap easily if just in case you get caught on rocks
- Jigs: 10–12 oz with a glow/white or chartreuse/white Lingcod grub. Any lighter than 10 oz and you will not feel the bottom
Pro tip: Let the kids catch some sand dabs (a type of flounder for those not from PNW) for the ultimate bait if you have time.
At less than $100 I find the Penn General Purpose Level Wind Conventional Reel to be the best value for jigging in Puget Sound. More expensive reels often get gears strung out when the jig gets caught on a rock on bottom as you drift over a pinnacle. I bring a bunch of teenagers or infrequent anglers and these reels are easy simple and easy to use and have a classic look and feel.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve got a kid who thinks fishing is “boring,” take them lingcod jigging in the San Juans. One screaming drag and one look at those prehistoric jaws coming over the rail, and they’re hooked for life.
The San Juans in the Spring are quiet, stunningly beautiful, and the lingcod bite is stupid good right now.
Most importantly, the fresh lingcod tacos that night were next-level.