# Ling



## bbrennan (Apr 21, 2006)

I need a good recipe for cooking ling.  Please let me know anything you know about this fish.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 21, 2006)

Ling isn't a true cod, but is often lumped into the same family, & as such can be cooked in any recipe calling for a white fish filet (although ling filets can be a little darker).

It's a wonderful mild-tasting fish, & I wish I could get it here in VA.  I used to buy & cook it frequently when I lived in NY.


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## bbrennan (Apr 21, 2006)

*ling*

 thank you for your advice!!!


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## Robo410 (Apr 21, 2006)

wonderful fish, very versatile, fries well, sauces well, bakes well, chowders well.


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## bbrennan (Apr 22, 2006)

wow....that was great fish.  I poached it in butter and white cooking wine with a little garlic and pepper.  thanks again for your replies!!!!


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## jpmcgrew (Apr 22, 2006)

What is ling excactly? Ive never heard of it.


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## mudbug (Apr 22, 2006)

me neither, japes.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 22, 2006)

Here's a link to an Alaskan Fishing magazine article on them - complete with pic.  Ugly buggers, aren't they?

http://www.fishalaskamagazine.com/fish/Ling_Cod.htm


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## auntdot (Apr 24, 2006)

A conundrum here.

When I grew up in NY we could go out and catch what we called ling.

They were usually stuff we pulled up instead of the flounder we were going for.

And usually just tossed them back.

So I pulled out my copy of Alan Davidson's 'North Atlantic Seafood' and much to my surprise he had no mention of the fish.

Then Googled and learned they were a Pacific fish.

So what in the heck we used to call ling in NY I have no idea.

Am just tossing this in because maybe there are a few folks who are as confused as I am.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 24, 2006)

From the looks of that Ling "thing" in the link pic, perhaps what you (& I) are both thinking of from our NY fishing days were the little "Bergals"?  They were ugly little buggers & were terrific bait stealers.  Also the equally ugly "Sea Robins".  Both sort of resemble the true Ling in that pic.  Perhaps they're related.


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## auntdot (Apr 24, 2006)

Wow Breezy, small world.

No, the ling were not bergals, also called cunners.

And not sea robins. Although the sea robins look a lot more like the 'ling' in the picture, the 'ling' we used to catch looked nothing so sinister.

Caught them from party boats or off the piers, and they were just fish we considered not worthy of taking home.

Do not know what they were and have Googled and searched a bit, but to no avail.

One of the problems with fish is that the common names vary with locality.

Here striped bass = rockfish, something I have become very used to.

Do not know what a 'ling' is, or was.  And probably never will.

So it goes.

Take care.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 24, 2006)

Hmmm. Well, from what I remember from fishing with my dad & grandfathers, I recall (from piers, boats, & off the beach) catching flounder, fluke, striped bass (or, like you said, here in Virginia it's called Rockfish), Blackfish, Bluefish (& baby Blue "Snappers"), Tommy Cod, Weakfish, Porgies, Eels, & the occasional Blowfish. This was all off the North Shore of Long Island.

Here's a link to a forum I found where they mention fishing for Ling in New York during the summer. I'm really starting to think that perhaps besides the Pacific Ling, "Ling" is another name for Tommy Cod or Weakfish - both popular NY catches that not everyone considers worth keeping.

http://www.noreast.com/postedreports/view.cfm?region_ID=33&id=63877

Here's another link with a pic, & I think this one solves the problem. According to the info here, Ling is also knowns as Red Hake, & is apparently commonly caught in NY & NJ waters. Apparently a completely different fish than the Pacific fish by the same name.

http://www.midatlanticgameandfish.com/fishing/sal****er-fishing/at_aa010605a/

What's that you say? Not sick of Ling links yet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Ling


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