My bro, Jim Jigger and I drove out to a remote lake in the back 9. Around 3pm we were on the ice hoping for some prime-time walleye. This particular lake has only had decent walleye fishing over the past 4-5 years, prior to that it was a laker and splake hotspot. Apparently some local(s) introduced the walleye and they managed to survive to a healthy population...not necessarily the best idea in my opinion, but my opinion won't make a difference either way, we caught no walleye.
The ling started biting at 5:30 and continued until we left at 1pm. We were getting approximately 1 every 30 minutes using minnows on bottom. They bite very lightly and don't even set off the bells on my ice rod.
To clean them: kill them right away. Lay them flat on the ice until they are stiff and not slimy. Cut right across each flank like making a filet. Remove the rib cage out of the filet, cut out the belly fat and skin them. Voila.
People tell me they taste like lobster or oysters...I'll be the judge of that later this week.
Took home 6 of them myself.
Best thing about ling is the low pressure fishery, they're relative abundance and the low level of effort it takes to catch em.
This has been one of my goals this winter, to catch and eat Ling, so it was a productive night.