Central coast info

[Dave Legacy]

There's no fishing I enjoy more than fishing for Lingcod from shore along the Central Coast. There's not too much to know, but here are a couple tips:

Use bass gear to throw big weedless swimbaits 5-6" in length. Don't skimp on your fluoro leader and button down your drag all the way; They'll take you into the rocks. Don't fish from a spot you can't retrieve a fish from (ex. High vantage rocks w/waterline access) unless you have a long net or gaff. Cast to deep holes in the rocks, right into the hard cover, and keep working it up to your feet. I caught a huge ling this year in 3-4' of water right under my feet.

Have fun and don't be self-conscious if you're the only guy around using a bass rod. From what I've seen over the many times I've fished in Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur, bait fishing is the go-to local technique.