Central Coast Fishing: Virg’s Landing Lingcod Extravaganza finale set for Saturday

The stage is set and all is in readiness for the grand finale Saturday of Virg’s third-annual Lingcod Extravaganza. The sea conditions forecast for waters above San Simeon are for 8- to 10-foot swells at 11-second intervals.

The 36 qualifiers will have approximately five hours of fishing focused on catching hefty lingcod.

The prizes are significant: $5,000 for the heaviest ling, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third.

To gain entry into this championship event, each contestant had to reel in the heaviest lingcod of one of the 35 weeks during the 2016 season. There was one tie, hence 36 anglers will be on board the Princess captained by Sergio Bermudez.

Each contestant will receive a T-shirt and a gift bag containing a variety of fishing articles. Raffle prizes include a Seeker fishing rod and an Avet reel, both quality products.

Qualifying weights varied from 4.5 pounds to Bakersfield angler Matt Kennedy’s 32.5-pound catch. The wide discrepancy took place three weeks apart.

The Central Coast will be well represented with 10 anglers, two each from Cambria, Atascadero and Santa Maria and one each from Morro Bay, Los Osos, Lompoc and Orcutt.

Port San Luis Boatyard

Boats were launched six days last week.

Anglers aboard the 27 vessels dispatched Saturday caught 35 of the week’s total of 48 lingcod. Those aboard a solo launched boat Tuesday returned with no fish but two crab. Whopper of the Week honors were awarded to Dave Bigby, who weighed a 10.1-pound lingcod.

Morro Bay Landing

There are a lot of folks — especially children — eagerly awaiting gifts the upcoming holidays will provide. Bakersfield angler Gary Lynch is playing a different kind of waiting game.

He is counting down the days until the end of the year to see if his 32.3-pound lingcod, landed Nov. 23, will stand as the No. 1 catch in Morro Bay Landing’s Lingcod Contest.

The prize dangling out there is a check for $5,000.

It is not too late to enter the competition. Book a trip out of the landing and enter the jackpot when you board the boat. That is a mandatory step in the chase for some big rewards.

Currently, Bill Garderding, of Springville, is in second place with the 31.2 ling he cranked up on Nov. 11. Ken Davis, of Wasco, positioned himself in third place on Nov. 2 with his catch of a 26.1 ling.

The angler who finishes second will receive a check for $3,000, while third place will be worth $2,000 when the competition ends after fishing on Dec. 31.

Recent jackpot winners are: Allen D., Cambria, 27.3 pounds; Blaine Reelay, San Luis Obispo, 15.5 pounds; Fernando Villegas, Visalia, and Sam Lino, both 15.0; Louis Jones, Tulare, 14.0; Bill Garcia, Paso Robles, 13.0; Dan Mansir, Atascadero, Jim Webb, Hanford, J.P. Cliff and Eloy Castro, Visalia, all 12.0; and John Nash, El Segundo, 8.0.

Patriot Sportfishing

Anglers fishing out of Patriot’s Harford Pier have caught 5,722 lingcod through Dec. 3.

Recent jackpot winners include: Matt Thompson, Paso Robles, 15.0 ling; Garrett Pierce, Bakersfield, 12.0 ling; Matt Gavin, Rialto, Kennedy Martinez, Oakdale, Manny Lopez, Santa Maria, Dallas Hotchkiss, Santa Maria, Chris Wheeler, Ridgecrest, Ray Guiterrez, Bakersfield, and Glen Watson, Maricopa, all 10.0 lings; and Alejandro Alba, Las Vegas, and Juan Marquez, Santa Maria, both 6.0 lings.

Virg’s Landing

Anglers out of Virg’s have caught 6,951 lngcod through Dec. 3.

Four trips last week with 79 anglers produced an 819 fish count that included 87 lingcod and 223 red rockcod.

Jackpot winners included Rigoberto Carreon, Clovis, 16.0 ling; Michael Cole, Bakersfield, 15.6 ling; and Lucas Walker, Santa Maria, 9.1 ling.

For the week ending Nov. 26, six trips with 158 anglers resulted in 1,588 fish caught including 115 lingcod and 321 red rockcod.

Jackpots were won by John Campbell, Bakersfield, 19.10 ling; Daniel Chapman, Bakersfield, 13.0 ling; and Brad Brandewie, Three Rivers, 9.8 ling.

This story was originally published December 8, 2016 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Central Coast Fishing: Virg’s Landing Lingcod Extravaganza finale set for Saturday."