Hit the jetty at the harbor about a month ago, a day after one of the earthquakes. Was out there trying to hit some crab on the snares so we walked out halfway to the end during high tide and fished to inside of the harbor. Had snares on a heavy action surf rod, and a shrimp fly rig with some squid on it. I threw my line out, checked my snares and noticed slack in my line, which was happening often with the vegetation moving around with the tide. I tightened it up, it slacked up some more, so I started to bring it in to reset it, and this guy was on there. A Blue Ling! From the inside of the harbor!?! He measured almost 30" and I didn't have a scale with me so I don't know the weight, but he was a large one. It was pandemonium on the jetty once I got him in.Along with five rock crab, it was a great meal that night.

you do know that lingcod season was closed as of january 1st, right?

I read they're still legal as long as size is good, and it's not off a boat. Off the jetty's and shore is year round.

rockfish yes, lingcod no. here are the 2010 regulations...

North-Central South of Point Arena Management Area

Ocean waters between 38°57.5' N. latitude (Point Arena) and 37°11' N. latitude (near Pigeon Point)

Includes Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, most of San Mateo County and a portion of Mendocino County

Lingcod
Boat-based Anglers:
Open: Jun 13–Oct 31
Closed: Jan 1–Jun 12,
and Nov 1–Dec 31

Divers, Shore-based Anglers:
Open: Apr 1–Nov 30
Closed: Jan 1–Mar 31,
and Dec 1–Dec 31

where did you read that lingcod is open year round for shore based anglers??

there are proposed changes to the groundfish (rockfish) regulations for the 2011 season. however, these changes are still under review and are not in place yet. 2010 regulations are still in effect until further notice. before taking any fish, you should always be able to positively identify the species and know the regulations pertaining to that fish: open seasons, mlpa/mpa closures, size limits, gear restrictions, etc. ALWAYS carry a copy of the Saltwater Fishing Regulations and the supplement when you are fishing. this will not only help you to correctly ID the fish and know the rules, but sometimes the dfg wardens do not know the regulations themselves and you may be able to talk yourself out of a ticket if you have the regulations with you to prove your case.

Recreational:
Decrease the lingcod minimum size limit to 22 inches
Increase the statewide bag limit of cabezon from two to three fish
Removal of the lingcod spawning closure in the months of January through March and December
Increase the California scorpionfish depth constraint to 60 fm year-round in the Southern Management Area
Removal of the 10 fm depth closure around the Farallon Islands and Noonday Rock
Changes to the names of some of the recreational management areas
Combine the South-Central Monterey and the South-Central Morro Bay Management Areas into one area called the Central Management Area
Modify gear restrictions for take of cabezon and greenlings so that no more than one line and two hooks may be used—consistent with rockfish
Modify season structure and depth constraints for the California recreational groundfish fishery by management area:
Increase the depth constraint to 30 fm for the Cowcod Conservation Area (CCA)
Inclusion of "shelf rockfish" to the list of rockfish species that may be retained within the CCA

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/groundfish ... ations.asp

OH MAN that thing is like a giant Sculpin basically.

no, not really. a 30" ling is not big either. in fact, this particular ling looks real skinny.