The mouth is large with numerous large teeth. The color is generally dark brown with lots of spots and blotches on the upper part of the body, but color may vary from blue green to red brown. The flesh color varies from white to a light blue-green, and turns white when cooked. Spawning begins in November and continues through March. Fertilization is external.
Lingcod feed primarily on smaller fishes.
Predators of juvenile lingcod include marine mammals and birds, and other fishes. Lingcod occur from northern Baja California to the Shumagin Islands along the Alaskan Peninsula. They are most abundant in northern California. They occur over a wide range of bottoms at depths from 10 to 1,300 feet, but most occur in rocky areas from 30 to 330 feet. The season is year-round.