Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongates, Blue Morph. Fish caught from coastal waters off Halfmoon Bay, California, June 2011. Length: 58 cm (23 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongates, Blue Morph. Fish caught in coastal waters off San Quintin, Baja California, February 2020. Length: 58 cm (23 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongates, Blue Morph. Fish caught from coastal waters off Brookings, Oregon,  March 2018. Length: 61 cm (2 feet 0 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongates, Brown Morph. Fish caught from coastal waters off Santa Cruz, California, July 2012. Length: 63 cm (2 feet 1 inch). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongates, Brown Morph. Fish caught from coastal waters off Brookings, Oregon,  March 2016. Length: 65 cm (2 feet 2 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Lingcod, Ophiodon elongates, Brown Morph. Fish caught in coastal waters off San Quintin, Baja California, February 2020. Length: 98 cm (3 feet 2 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.

The Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, is a member of the Greenling or Hexagrammidae Family, and are known in Mexico as molva. It is not a true Cod. Globally, this is only one species in the genus Ophiodon, and it is found in Mexican waters of the extreme northwest coast of Baja in the Pacific Ocean.

 The Lingcod has a large elongated cylindrical body that narrows toward the tail. They are gray to brown in color, with greenish or bluish tints, with darker and lighter spotting and are lighter ventrally. They have a prominent white lateral line. About 20% of their population have a blue-green to turquoise color which is attributed to biliverdin in their flesh. Their anal fin has 3 spines and 21 to 24 rays and their caudal fin is truncated; their first dorsal fin has 24 to 27 spines; their second dorsal fin has a long base with 21 to 24 rays; Their head has a large mouth that extends past the eyes and is equipped with small pointed teeth interspersed with large canine-like teeth. They have a cirrus above the eye. Their head is scaleless, however, their body is covered with scales.

The Lingcod is a demersal species found in and around rocky areas adjacent to large drop-offs with good water movement, normally at depths between 9 m (30 feet) and 100 m (330 feet) but they have also been documented at depths of 427 m (1,400 feet). They reach a maximum of 1.52 m (5 feet 0 inches) in length and 59 kg (130 lbs) in weight. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 37.45 kg (82 lbs 9 oz) with the fish caught in coastal waters off Homer, Alaska in July 2007. They are generally a deep water slow-moving non-migratory species making them “sitting ducks” for recreational anglers. They are voracious predators consuming fish, invertebrates, octopi, and squid. In turn they are preyed upon by Harbor Seals and Sea Lions. Reproduction is oviparous with each female laying between 150,000 and 500,000 eggs annually. The eggs are deposited in crevices and under rocks and are guarded by the males until they hatch. Females and males have lifespans of twenty and fourteen years, respectively.

The Lingcod is a resident of Mexican waters of the Pacific Ocean but has a limited distribution in being found from Punta San Carlos, Baja California, northward along the northwest coast of Baja.

The Lingcod is straightforward to identify, mainly due to its size. It is similar to the Cabezon, Scorpaenichthys marmoratus (lacks large teeth).

From a conservation perspective the Lingcod has not been formally evaluated. They are considered to be an excellent food fish and sold commercially for human consumption.