Fishing for Ling Cods in Mendocino

I will be going back to Mendocino soon and have fished the area for a couple of years now. In the past I have done pretty good with catching RF up there, but have not been so lucky with Mr.ling. I did catch a my first ling this year at the HMB derby on a shrimp fly with squid, but would like to utilize some of the many lures I have in my arsenal. Any suggestions on lures and tactics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Mike

Go big!

7" swim baits, 8"-10" curly tails. Dump the shrimp fly unless you want to catch some ling bait.

Colors, rootbeer and gold flake or green with green and red flake.

What Bill said, plus the addition of some kind of iron as well. 6 oz hex bars, diamond jigs, and Herring  jigs (megabait, Braid, Pt Wilson) would also round out my arsenal. I'd seriously consider using a Greenling for bait as well, should you pick up one that was barely legal.

Scott

Braid Slammer with a touch of squid.  I like catching the the lings and rockfish...I miss al lot of rocks on plastic. short top of mono or florocarbon....50 feet to 25 feet of the clear line.  Go to a diamond jig if the drift gets fast ( 5 to 8 oz). Or go to live bait..if you just want to set the hook.   Drop down a fresh rockcod...just have a big hook and let them chew on it.

Ken kickfish

Also - stay on or near the bottom. Drop your bailt or lure all the way to the bottom, then give it a few cranks up, jig it around for a few moments, then freespool it back down to the bottom and repeat. Sometimes I like to give my pole a big upward swing and then kick it into freespool, letting my lure fall farther and hit the bottom hard, with the thought that my offering is causing a little commotion on the bottom and attracting attention.

Plus, I top off all my lures with a whole squid.

Thanks to all for your recommendations. I have most of lures you have mentioned and will apply all tactics to my hunt fo Mr. Lingzilla next week in Mendo.  Hopefully see you at the MBK derby soon.   Cheers Mike

Use a 2-hook rig, with a treble on the bottom, and hook a whole fish, dead, alive, filleted, whole, whatever. Send that down and see what it brings back up! I use Humboldt squid tentacles that way and get cabs and lings - i caught my wolf eel on this rig, too.

Hi  solsrf1

      Try using Buzz Bombs #4 Perch. I cast them into a Swell as it breaks on a Reef and slowly jig it back. Be careful
you don't get launched onto the Reef.
                                                                                                               Good Luck
                                                                                                               Ernie