Winter Ling hunt in Loch Etive

The Ling (Molva molva) is a long, half eel, half cod-like fish found in Scottish waters. Although it's textbook habitat is deep, rocky seabeds at depths between 100 to 400 meters, they are found all along the shoreline in depths from about 15 metres. Ling are not a totally uncommon catch around sea lochs near Oban such as Loch Etive and Loch Leven, but they are usually an accidental (albeit very welcome!) catch, rather than specifically targetted.

They are easily recognised in the hand with their elongated bodies, mottled brownish-green coloration, and rows of large and sharp teeth, though when they break the surface it is usually a shout of "Conger" that echoes off the hills before we realise.

I have had several over the years from Loch Etive, usually bait fishing from the kayak, and a couple on lures, but this winter I decided a big one from the shore was my cold-weather project before the trout season started.

A Loch Etive Spurdog, one of the many caught as a very welcome "by-catch"

I prepared for the quest by filling the rig wallet with long pulley rigs, 80lb rig body, and a single strong sakuma 4/0 hook on 80lb AFW wire. Wire was necessary as there would be a lot of spurdogs caught as bycatch, and a single hook I find reduces the snags rather than a pennel when fishing rough ground. Something I learned during the cod fishing days near Aberdeen. A rotten bottom was essential for the lead as I would be fishing rough ground with a fair current running through it. I was using 80lb braid on Sl30sh reels on the cult classic Ron Thompson Axellerators, so I could get away with a 30lb rotten bottom link. This was attached to a gemini splashdown to keep the bait nailed to the lead until it hit the water. Again with the rough ground, a long 80lb leader was necessary to not lose gear amongst the rocks and ledges.

Loch Etive Spurdog for Ben amongst the countless dogfish

The quest started far up the top end of Loch Etive, way past Bonawe and Taynuilt, trying my best to find some deep and reefy ground that the Ling love, and near by where I had caught them from the kayak. Unfortunately though it was a lot of lesser spotted dogfish and spurdogs, with a few pollack to keep me busy on the spinning rod during the wait over 2 sessions.

A Spurdog for Nev to kick off the 2025 species hunt!

A couple of weeks later, Ben and Nev came up from South Wales looking for some guiding to tick off a few for their species hunt. Skate and Short Spine Scorpion fish were ticked off by them without my assistance, so it was all out for Ling! We fished the same spot again as I was sure it would produce a big one, or at least a small one (they all count for a species hunt!) but alas, no Ling, but Spurdogs for both of them, which was a welcome start to Nevs species hunt as he hadn't had one yet. Il see them again soon to tick off sea trout though, an easy one for around Loch Etive, but maybe not in January...

There was one mark though that we couldn't fish on their visit due to the wind and tides, but the next weekend was smaller tides. I spent the Saturday recceing the ground with the spinning rod, trying to find the trenches and less snaggy ground.

Sunday I went back with the big rods. I spent a few hours throwing big baits out into 50m deep water to only more spurdogs and a surprise codling. Starting to give up a little, I was thinking of leaving, but it was the first bright sunny day and I was very much enjoying the sun on my face after a long winter so I baited up again and decided to throw the baits a little shorter onto the slope down to the deep water instead of out out. The left hand rod went immediately, maybe another dogfish or spurdog, but on the way in the drag of the right hand reel ripped through the peaceful afternoon. I reckon it was probably heard in Taynuilt with the speed it was going. Ditching the other rod to retrieve it later, I jumped on the screaming reel and tightened up. Big fish on!!

After some head shakes I started gaining line back. There were a couple of fairly sharp ledges in front of me, and it was coming up to high tide, so I played it hard to get it up in the water. The leader knot broke the water, and I knew something big was close. Then a huge long fish broke the surface just beyond the weed. This is the danger period for it to spit the hook, but I was maybe a little too cautious, and the weight got snagged in the weed. So in I waded to claim my hard worked prize. At 115cm, it was the biggest Ling I have caught, and seen out of Loch Etive.

A fine specimen of a Loch Etive Ling