Ling views wanted

[Charlton]

Hi
would like your views on what you think about ling taking over from cod as the main quarry of wreck anglers as their numbers increase and cod numbers decline. When you noticed it happening etc

[sless]

well boat fishing from the start with bert on \"the boys\"
he showed me the way to go catching ling
i dont mind catching them
as for eating them
i prefer ling to cod

[CODHEAD]

alan our last trip out we had about 60 cod and only 2 ling .i think it changes from tide 2 tide.on other trips ive only seen ling.and on other days just cod .i think the shore fishing lads are in for a good season i might even give it a try never done shore fishing for 15 years

[jeff]

Hi Alan,

Hope you are well.

While we catch a few Ling on the Volante our main target is always Cod. We\'ve had some great sport with large, (by N.E. standards)Coalfish and Pollack this summer as well and would happy to target these.

Do you think the trend could be a result of there being more chance of catching a 20lb+ Ling rather than any other fish in our waters over the summer?

I think its a case of each to their own.

Jeff.

[KeithB]

Is it not because mackeral is plentiful in the summer, and we tend use big macky baits more than owt else?

As for eatin, I\'m with you Sless, Ling is much tastier than cod, just ask Norman\'s cat

[IanW]

Caught more Ling this summer than I did last, but mainly because I\'ve been using bigger mackerel baits, rather than baited lures for the cod.

Me and Norman had more success with the cod earlier on in the season then it changed over to ling later on.

As to eating I prefer ling, although a nice fresh fillet of cod is hard to beat as well, jus so long as it\'s not too big a fish.

Ya right Keith, very lucky cats in Normans house

[LING_BASHER]

Last year was the worst year i had for catching ling in a long time and just about every ling i caught had nets marks on there skin. Mind we never really targeted them this year as the aim was for september but we never got fishing.

I woudl say i like targeting ling as ther eis a better chance of a bigun but i ahte not being able to return them like we do alot of the cod.

[IanW]

Richy, if your on about not returning ling because they normally chuck up their swim bladder, I saw a programme a couple of weeks ago where the skipper actually punctured it and then chucked it back over.

Reckoned they would heal themselves in no time.

[LING_BASHER]

Well i looked into this as i thought it was a good idea, its balls it does not work, all you do is give them a slower death.Its like someone sticking a whole in your throat and keep on pouring water down until it kills you.

Shame as i hate keeping more than what i need.

[Charlton]

Views would be appreciated from those who can remeber the overall fishing from 30 years ago, not just day to day or this year with last. All skippers have the same view that ling are definately taking over from cod. Whereas 20-30 year ago catches where nearly all cod, with the odd ling around Sept. Change started taking place around ten year ago and drastically about five year ago.

[CODHEAD]

wot can you say alan 30 years ago souter point for big haddock high and low lights cod .20 years ago dunstborough castle full boat of cod on orange road tape no bait.them were the days

[Norman]

LL keith / Ian yup , best fed cats in the north ........ they like the tough ling skin the best

Alan , as for past fishing .. I remember 1977 ish I used to go out on a charter coble from the fleece at blyth, there were two sessions, we had the morning session for serious fishing from 5 to 12 to catch fish then I used to crew for the afternoon session (sickies) from 1 to 5. never seen a ling , always cod. this of course could be thet in those days no -one had sounders so never targeted the wrecks where ling haunt. Now , everyone goes wrecking so the ling are easy meat ........ my view anyway

[CODHEAD]

norman,
wot do you mean no one had souders.we had a navstar 2000 and a paper graph finder the only problem was they were s..t lol

[Tadpoleman]

Well Alan i agree with norman as far as the wreck fishing is concerned !
in the late 70`s early 80`s the biggest fish in the shields boat angling club consisted of big thornies and spurs and the occational cod up to 20lb tops....... not many ling at all
It was only the new tecnology of bottom sounders and decca navigators that lead to the discovery of wrecks and off shore reefs which also lead to big ling and cod all off the wrecks
In the early days lots and lots of lind 15-20lb every trip out on the inshore`s.
I wouldn`t say ling have taken over cod or vice versa ,Some years are better for one and then better for the latter the next year
Think the EL-NINIO has a lot to do with it my self
I dont think that cod are on the decline!! havent noticed it that much but have noticed a load of smaller ling (coz we caught all the bigguns..lol) these days and also lots more pollock than ever the last 5-6 years never used to catch any at all prior to then.. may be the north sea is warming up and fish mooving up !! what next Tuna Marlin=bigger boat=sharks?????????????????
bert

[Charlton]

It seems the views of private small boat anglers who fish the inshore wrecks are completely diffreent to the skippers who fish the offshore wrecks, who had the gear to do it, and the records I have. thirty year ago the big catches where of cod, cod and more cod and only a handful of ling. And the biggest fish where nearly always cod. Ten year ago cod numbers decreased and more ling started being taken. Then five year ago the ling catches increased greatly. No doubt the private small boat owner missed out on the heady days of codding, simply because he did not have the gear GPS etc, and the difference since this came readilly available to all has not been so noticeable. Very interesting.