Lingcod
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I can recommend several spots right off the top of my head. The Rockpile and the Coronado Islands in Mexico is year round two of the best places I know of to catch them. Passport required for these aforementioned trips. If you don't want to go into Mexico, the Nine Mile Bank also holds them and it is in U.S. Waters, no passport required. There are also a huge number of secretly guarded spots that are much closer.
Ask your crew for pointers on the hot setup, which may be live bait, or live squid if you can get it. Be patient, the fish is worth it. While you are down there, you will also be simultaneously fishing for many other species that have a hunger for the same bait.
Once you do catch one, be sure to check out its camouflage pattern that makes it such an effective deep water hunter, and a beautiful and unique game fish native to Socal.
Lingcod
These oddly colored fish fight heavier than their weight. If you hook into a 10-30lb Lingcod, you will be what feels like a much bigger fish. Woe to the angler who hooks one of these monsters on super light line. Remember I was telling you to end your line with a heavier leader, this fish is the reason why. With a solid hook up, you will eventually get him over the side. At that time you will see one of the most beautiful colored fish species there is. Did I mention that this fish is great to eat, and considered a delicacy. The meat is sometimes tinted blue. Fish tacos come to mind.
One of the uglier fish I know of, and sometimes the meat is blue, no really, I am not kidding. However, it is a very good eating fish. Did I mention that they have a wicket set of teeth. They basically sit at the bottom and eat whatever is unfortunate enough to swim by.
Ling Cod are the bottom lurkers you're looking for, they put up a decent fight, and they come in only one variety, mean.