Lingcod in Washington
Washington rules and water for lingcod.
- 2 dailylimit
- 61.00 lbsrecord
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lingcod in the Evergreen State
WDFW sets lingcod limits separately for each marine area it lists. One sample, Marine Area 1: Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of the Deepwater Lingcod Depth Restriction Line. Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut/columbia-river for the 2027 coordinates.
WDFW credits Tom Nelson with the record, 61.00 lbs out of San Juan Islands, San Juan County in 1986. This guide links it to 2 Washington waters, beginning with Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) and San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7). For 1 water, the pamphlet prints a Special Rule about it. Its Latin name is Ophiodon elongatus.
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| Marine area | Where | Limit as printed | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Area 1 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of the Deepwater Lingcod Depth Restriction Line. Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut/columbia-river for the 2027 coordinates. | Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31 |
| Marine Area 1 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. | June 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 1 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of a line drawn from 46°38.17’ N Lat., 124°21.00’ W Lon., to 46°33.00’ N Lat., 124°21.00’ W Lon. Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut | June 16-Aug. 31 |
| Marine Area 1 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. | Sept. 1-Sept. 30 |
| Marine Area 1 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of a line drawn from 46°38.17’ N Lat., 124°21.00’ W Lon., to 46°33.00’ N Lat., 124°21.00’ W Lon., | Oct. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
| Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of a line drawn from, 47°31.70’ N, 124°45.00’ W to 46°38.17’ N, 124°30.00’ W (Area 2 Deepwater Lingcod) except when the primary halibut season is open. | Second Sat. in Mar.-Apr. 30 |
| Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut/south-coast for 2027 regulations regarding the 30 Fathom Lingcod Depth Restriction. | May 1-May 31 |
| Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. | June 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of a line drawn from, 47°31.70’ N, 124°45.00’ W to 46°38.17’ N, 124°30.00’ W (Area 2 Deepwater Lingcod) except when the primary halibut season is open. | June 16-Aug. 31 |
| Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. | Sept. 1-Sept. 30 |
| Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of a line drawn from, 47°31.70’ N, 124°45.00’ W to 46°38.17’ N, 124°30.00’ W (Area 2 Deepwater Lingcod) except when the primary halibut season is open. | Oct. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
| Marine Area 3 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. | Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31 |
| Marine Area 3 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. | June 1-July 31 |
| Marine Area 3 | Entire area | Daily limit 2. | Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
| Marine Area 4 | West of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line | Daily limit 2. | Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31 |
| Marine Area 4 | West of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line | Daily limit 2. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open | June 1-July 31 |
| Marine Area 4 | West of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line | Daily limit 2. | Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
| Marine Area 4 | East of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line | Daily limit 2. Fishing for or possession prohibited seaward of the Bottomfish Closure, except when halibut is open. | Second Sat. in Mar.-Third Sat. in Oct. |
| Marine Area 5 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. See Bottomfish Closure below. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 5 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 6 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 6 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 7 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 7 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 8-1, Marine Area 8-2 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 8-1, Marine Area 8-2 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 8-1, Marine Area 8-2 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 8-1, Marine Area 8-2 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 9 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 9 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 10 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 10 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 11 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Marine Area 11 | Entire area | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Marine Area 12 | Entire area | CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. | CLOSED |
| Marine Area 13 | Entire area | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), PDF page 112 (pamphlet PDF; eRegulations marine area page), read October 31, 2026.
Waters with their own lingcod rule
Labels like "lingcod" appear on 1 water in the Special Rules tables.
Waters that break from statewide rules
Special Rules as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), pamphlet page 26 (pamphlet PDF), read on eRegulations October 31, 2026.Record weight for Washington lingcod
| Listing | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lingcod | 61.00 lbs | Tom Nelson | San Juan Islands, San Juan County | July 30, 1986 |
| Lingcod (Speargun) | 31.34 lbs | Gunnar Fjelstul | Neah Bay, Clallam County | July 31, 2023 |
WDFW sport fish records, read October 31, 2026; record list.
Lakes, rivers and sound with lingcod
Marine pages naming lingcod
- Neah Bay (Marine Area 4)marine area
- San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7)marine area
WDFW Fish Washington and high lake layer species lists, WDFW SWIFD distribution, record waters and 2026 trout plants; largest waters first.
Kin of lingcod in the WDFW tables
- Kelp Greenlingsaltwater
- Whitespotted Greenlingsaltwater
Photographs of fishing water around Lingcod
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
Photo: Richard Probst – Shot in a Frame, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
lingcod in Washington: questions anglers bring
What does WDFW allow for lingcod each day?
Salt water rules vary; Marine Area 1 prints: Daily limit 2. No retention or possession seaward of the Deepwater Lingcod Depth Restriction Line. Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut/columbia-river for the 2027
How big is the Washington record lingcod?
It weighed 61.00 lbs, out of San Juan Islands, San Juan County in 1986; angler Tom Nelson.
Where do lingcod live in Washington?
It is on 2 pages, Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) and San Juan Islands (Marine Area 7) first.
Do Washington hatcheries release lingcod?
No hatchery plant of it is on file for 2026.
On which Washington waters does the lingcod rule shift?
On 1 water the line changes.
Is the lingcod season open now in Washington?
The row prints: Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31. An emergency rule may still close it.
Is a freshwater license enough for lingcod?
Anglers 16 and older fishing marine water carry a Saltwater license ($40.71 resident, $81.70 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license, plus a catch record card for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead or halibut.
Who checks a new Washington lingcod record?
WDFW verifies records at its offices after a certified-scale weighing witnessed by two people.
Pick Washington water for lingcod
Ramps, limits and maps sit on each page above.