Near 40-pounder tops huge pair of lingcod caught with Virg's

Lingcod fishing has been phenomenal off the Central Coast this season, and the capper is being applied as the 2014 campaign winds down.

Bottom-fishing season ended Wednesday, but check this out: Separate lings weighing 38 pounds, 6 ounces and 33-2 were caught by Virg’s passengers last weekend.

Tony Laurenco from Half Moon Bay bagged the 38-­6 monster, the biggest ling of the year for anglers fishing out of Virg’s Landing.

I’ve written Tribune columns since March of 1985. My memory isn’t what it used to be 29 years ago, but I can’t recall ever writing about lingcod as heavy as this pair.

Laurenco was fishing aboard the Princess on Virg’s final overnighter of the year. The catch was made with a diamond jig in waters above the Piedras Blancas lighthouse.

Visalia’s Ed Martin cranked up his 33-­2 ling from the deck of the Black Pearl. Passengers aboard were fishing the same waters as customers of the Princess.

Through Sunday, Virg’s customers have caught 6,969 lingcod.

Patriot Sportfishing’s lingcod count through Tuesday totaled 5,629. That’s a big step up from the 2013 total of 3,796.

Owners of private boats embarking out of the Sports Launch at Port San Luis have logged a plethora of the elongated fish with the double rows of sharp teeth. Eighty-­three lings were caught Saturday by anglers aboard 45 launched boats. Sunday’s count was 68 fish by fishermen on 39 boats.

Weekly lingcod harvests out of PSL totalled 100 or more 16 times. 

The portentous total of 205 lings was posted the week of Sept. 8-14, when 119 boats were dispatched.

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Patriot Sportfishing's Top 10

The outcome of the November­December segment of the contest will be announced after a study of reports by sea captains are reviewed.

To be determined are the first-, second- and third-place winners of the final two-­month segment of the contest as well as the overall champion.

Anglers who place first, second and third in each of the four two-­month segments earn awards of $300, $200 and $100, respectively.

Visalia's Freddie Cardenas was in line to win the grand prize of $1,000 unless someone betters his 27-12 ling caught on Oct. 9.

Hangover Tourney

While you are scanning this column, a cluster of dedicated bass fishermen are competing in the annual New Year's Day Hangover Tournament at Lake Nacimiento.

The title of this event is a misnomer. Bass boat owners are reluctant to risk damage to their expensive crafts nor are they willing to risk their personal safety. Intoxicated participants are not allowed.

Annually this event attracts a number of anglers anxious to log their first bass fishing experience of the new year. Entrants ante up $50 per boat to compete.

This event also is an opportunity for anglers who compete in American Bass Pacific Region, Bass Ambushers or Best Bass Coastal tournaments to get in some practice for January tests on this venue.

Ambusher Awards

The San Luis Obispo County Bass Ambushers held their annual awards event in early December at Round Table Pizza in Atascadero.

Ken Meeks, of Atascadero, earned the Don Foge Angler of the Year plaque by compiling 810 points for the highest score in his best eight tournaments.

Others in the top 10 were: 2. Jim Keeney, Paso Robles, 803; 3. Burt Lund, Atascadero, 799; 4. Al Rush, Paso Robles, 796; 5. Paul Bailey, Creston, 779; Jerry May, Paso Robles, 718; 7. Bryan Vogt, Paso Robles, 717; 8. Michelle Duncan, Bakersfield, 606; 9. Marc Hazuka, Atascadero, 513; 10. Joan Lund, Atascadero, 503. Michelle Duncan, the daughter of Jerry May, was honored as the Non Boater of the Year.

Awards for the three biggest bass of the year went to: 1. Damon Meeks, Atascadero, 8.57 pounds; Bryan Vogt, 6.32 pounds; and Ken Meeks, 5.43 pounds.

Port San Luis Boatyard

Boats were launched only three days last week. Occupants of 99 boats caught 162 lingcod and one white seabass weighing 33-1. Anglers were catching so many lings they were releasing them alive. The man who caught the seabass was not identified.

Virg's Landing

On last weekend’s overnight trip aboard the Princess, 26 anglers caught 101 lingcod, 470 red rockcod and 50 assorted rockfish. Laurenco’s 38-­6 ling won one jackpot and Brandon Remington, Maricopa, won the other with a 25-­2 ling.

Other jackpot winners included, Martin, 33-­2 ling, Nick Webster, Bakersfield, 18­0 ling, Nick Lana, Los Osos, 12-­0 ling, Joel Switer, Santa Margarita, 10-2 ling, Julian Irgayes, Bakersfield, and Victor Meza, Fresno, both 9-­12 lings, James Trizmich, Paso Robles, 9-­0 ling, Bill Roda, Las Vegas, 8-12 ling, and Dana Jobe, Woodlake, 5-4 cabezon.

The catch by 263 passengers included: 295 lingcod, 822 red rockcod, 1,299 assorted rockfish, two cabezon, three greenling, one rock sole and one bonita.

Patriot Sportfishing

A 14-0 lingcod caught by Aaron Brown of Santa Maria was last week’s big fish.

Other jackpot winners included: Scott Douglas, Santa Barbara, 13-­0 ling, Ben Langworthy, Meridian,Idaho, 12-13 ling, Cass Schultz, Arroyo Grande, 12-­10 ling, Keith Bow, Pismo Beach, and Darrell Tiede, Bakersfield, both 12-­0 lings, Cody Rosa, Orcutt, 7-­0 ling, and Bob Shumey, Arrroyo Grande, 10-0 ling.

The week's catch by 300 passengers included: 216 lingcod, 410 red rockcod, 1,628 assorted rockfish, 41 cabezon, 509 bolina, 113 Dungenesse crab, 18 rock crab, and one sand sole.

Morro Bay Landing

Morgan Umphenour, Arroyo Grande, Clyde Kaneko, Monterey Park, both caught 10-­0 lingcod on weekend trips last week.

The catch by 60 patrons included: 50 lingcod, 60 red rockcod, 515 assorted rockfish, and 12 cabezon.

This story was originally published December 31, 2014 at 10:30 PM with the headline "Near 40-pounder tops huge pair of lingcod caught with Virg's."