Species

Common ling

One of the largest members of the cod order: a long, marbled predator with a chin barbel, caught mainly by boat anglers in Norway over rocky ground.

Molva molva

Photo: Vsevolod, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: April to June at about 100 to 200 m depth at water temperatures of about 7 °C (general guide, varies by region)
German Red List: extremely rare
Typical method: Bottom fishing with natural bait from a boat
Top bait: Large fish strip

Plan a day fishing for Common ling

How to recognise it

Long, slender body, back and flanks marbled brown, belly yellow to white
One barbel on the lower jaw, longer than the eye diameter
Two dorsal fins, the rear one very long; dorsal and anal fins with a pale edge

Easily confused with: Looks like the blue ling, which has a thinner tail stalk (Wikipedia). The related burbot looks similar but lives in fresh water.

How to catch it

Methods: Bottom fishing with natural bait from a boat, Jigging with pirks over rocky ground and drop-offs, Soft plastic fish on a heavy jig head

Baits: Large fish strip, Mackerel fillet, Whole herring, Pirk, Large soft plastic fish

Mainly when boat fishing in Norway over rocky ground in deep water, where ling are most common (FishBase: mostly 100 to 400 m).

Habitat and food

Coastal zones of the eastern Atlantic from Scandinavia and Iceland to the Bay of Biscay, plus the North Sea and Skagerrak, occasionally the western Mediterranean; on the bottom at depths of up to 400 m (Wikipedia). Mainly over rocky ground, most commonly at 100 to 400 m (FishBase). Extremely rare in German waters (Red List).

A predator eating fish such as herring, cod and flatfish, plus crustaceans, cephalopods and starfish (Wikipedia).

Size and age

Up to 1.8 m, rarely also 2 m, and up to 40 kg; males mature at about 80 cm, females at about 90 to 100 cm (Wikipedia). FishBase: max. 200 cm, common length 106 cm, max. published weight 45.0 kg, max. reported age 25 years.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: German Red List (marine fish 2025): extremely rare, previously threat of unknown extent; HELCOM lists the species as endangered for the Baltic Sea as a whole. IUCN: according to FishBase not evaluated (Not Evaluated).

We found no minimum size or closed season for this species in any state fisheries regulation. Local water rules may still apply.

Check the rules

Closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each German state and can be stricter for single waters. All rules by state, with the legal source

In the kitchen

Firm, white flesh; sold fresh, dried, salted or frozen, steamed, fried or baked (FishBase); also preserved in lye (English Wikipedia).

Sources (4)

Last checked 2026-10-13. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

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