Lingcod Fishing in Whittier, Alaska

Lingcod hold on rocky structure: pinnacles, reef edges, and kelp-fringed points, not the flat mud and gravel where halibut sit. Charters out of Whittier typically fish them by jigging large metal jigs or big soft-plastic swimbaits near the bottom around that structure, often on the same day as halibut and rockfish. Most Whittier operators sell lingcod as part of a combo rather than a single-species trip: a full-day bottomfish charter that works halibut grounds, then moves to rocky ground for lingcod and rockfish. One local operator, Whittier Marine Charters, runs full days roughly 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with up to six anglers, covering anywhere from 30 to 90 miles from port depending on whether the day stays inside the Sound or pushes toward the Gulf.

In Prince William Sound the lingcod season has opened July 1 and run through December 31 in recent years, with a tight limit: recently one fish per day at a roughly 35-inch minimum, or about 28 inches measured tail to dorsal fin with the head removed. That makes July and August the practical window, when the season is open, weather is at its most cooperative, and charters are already running daily for halibut and salmon. Bag limits can differ between inside Sound waters and outer Gulf waters, and they change from year to year, so confirm the current rules with ADF&G or your captain before you keep a fish.

Plan on a full-day charter. The good rocky ground takes some running to reach, commonly one to three hours each way, and boats in the Whittier fleet are typically six-passenger vessels. Expect a mixed bag: your lingcod usually comes between halibut drifts and rockfish stops, and deep-drop specialists in the harbor also work big rockfish and black cod in 600-plus feet. Bring layered clothing, food and drinks, and your fishing license. Don't expect electric reels as standard equipment either; most of this is hand-crank jigging, which is half the fun with a lingcod on.