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This trip started out slow for us and then got really good. Started out on the Jetty Tuesday afternoon with the tide running out. Ocean side was looking really good with average swells. Bay side was also looking great with amazing clarity. We fished til around 6pm on Tuesday. Using the regular jig heads between 1oz and 2oz with different curly tailed grubs. I only had one fish on and it was a beautiful fairly large sized red Irish lord. My husband hit two lings and both of them were undersized. Talk about a bust of a day. We have never had a problem of catching undersized lings. We decided the next morning to head out again and see if luck would change. We got out there around 11 using the same technique, same jig heads and same curly tailed grubs. Despite the amazingly beautiful calm weather with very little breeze the ocean side was unfishable with really big swells. We only walk out maybe a quarter of a mile before my husband decides to throw a first cast. His grub hits bottom and he twitches it twice then lets it sit. He feels a fish pick it up and he sets the hook. Knew it was a ling right off the bat, and on first cast! It runs into the rocks and gets stuck so I tell him wait it out sometimes they come back out. so after a bit he feels it come back out so he starts reeling it in, the fish becomes really heavy and we look into the water and up swims a magnificent monster ling with a fish in its mouth. We were so surprised! The giant ling swims right at us and starts getting pushed by waves onto the rocks and still wont let the fish go. So I grabbed our net and tried netting it but it was too big! The big ling feels the net and lets go and somehow swims just enough into the net that I was able to hoist it really quickly out of the water! It was absolutely pure luck that we got the fish in, and my husband nails two fine lings on his first cast of the day! We couldnt believe how big this fish is, we measured it and it came in at 46" and just under 30 lbs! The smaller ling was a modest 28" we were lucky we were not way out there if he had nailed a ling of that size. We fished til around 4pm for the day. My ends up hooking a nice rock fish and a greenling before we leave. I hook a small keeper ling around 26" I hook up with 4 more lings and lose them all along with a rock fish so my luck wasnt as good. Thinking I need a stiffer rod or something to really horse on them. 2 of the lings I hooked I couldnt even control even with my drag set really tight so they must have been fair sized. All in all Wednesday ended up being an epic day with what I would consider a trophy ling! I am hoping to get out there again soon! I love the Jetty.

The Quadfather

3/28/2013 8:35:00 PM

Wow! All this talk about the Westport jetty lately is just killing me. Great pic!

gonnahookit

3/28/2013 8:50:00 PM

No kidding! Sounds like I need to take up saltwater fishing once in awhile! Great report, sounds like an awesome time was had!

BlakeP

3/28/2013 9:37:00 PM

Wow thats a huge ling! Looks like a fun trip! I'm actually probably going out there in a few weeks, looks like a good time to go.

afk

3/29/2013 6:43:00 AM

Great action! Thanks for sharing.

Augwen

3/29/2013 7:14:00 AM

Great report and really nice ling. I bet that is going to be good eating!!

jd39

3/29/2013 7:17:00 AM

Wow, nice fish!

MotoBoat

3/29/2013 10:42:00 AM

That a fish belongs on the monster quest or hunter show with Jeremy Wade!

The Megga fish looks rubbery in texture, in the hands of its capture!

That oblong object protruding from the side of the fish, what is that? Looks to be a second stomach. A externally mounted one for ultra high capacity eating.

On a fish, is the only place "obesity" looks good!

MotoBoat

3/29/2013 10:46:00 AM

Oh yea, you can see the bite mark on first fish below the big one. You should have stuck that fish back in the mouth of Mr or Mrs Lingzilla, for the pic.
27" of ling, looks dinky next to Ling-oponomous.

BentRod

3/29/2013 9:02:00 PM

WOW! You guys rocked it! Killer report. Thanks and Congratulations!

salmonbarry

3/29/2013 10:57:00 PM

my buddy Brandon was there and told me about that! how funny it was you and your hubby! He said it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen and also the biggest ling he had ever seen caught off a jetty. Great job you guys!

Kokaholic

3/30/2013 3:13:00 AM

Hey just wanted to give a option for a new rod. I enjoy surf fishing as well. I also use my rod for Columbia Sturgeon. I use the Ugly stick 12 ft with casting handle & my reel is the Epxior 80 by Okuma. one spool I have braided line and on the other spool i use PLine mono. Rod cost 74.99 at Cabela's comes with 5 yr warranty and reel should be around 75.00 as well, This to items together will back you up on any pier or beach. In Columbia River I use up to 5 - 8 oz depending on current and weather. Even though the rod is large and strong it still has a sensitive tip which allows you to feel the littlest bites. Sometimes when Sturgeon take your bait they will take it then just sit on the bottom and not move. I can feel the fish while it is trying to eat.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Way to go what a TOAD on the LING....... P.s. They offer a great extendable gaff, this might be in your future.

Slacktime

3/30/2013 4:56:00 AM

Great report I'm heading out there in April sometime

fishermann20

3/30/2013 9:31:00 AM

Nice fish. I was on the jetty next to you. i will be submitting a report but nothing like yours! I called my fishing buddy salmonbarry first thing to report the monster.

mlgetbent

4/10/2013 4:21:00 AM

what a pig!! Ive fished the jetty for 20 yrs and havent landed one like that. Although Im sure Ive hooked a couple... Got the bio hazard lund put together should be able to land em from there. Im glad its only a 30 minute commute for me Ill be out there all spring an summer as weather an work permits

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