1st time at Lake Mendocino

I spent the weekend up at Lake Mendocino and it was picture perfect, except the fish never showed up. I trolled kastmasters and rat-l-traps, and worked plastics including baby brush hogs, senkos, and lizards. I did these things both shallow and deep, but I never managed even a bite. One of the rangers had told me that the water temps had increased too much and that it had shut the bite down. Oh-well, it was still a great trip!

Thank you to rock hopper and scwafish for their advice on where to camp and where to eat on my anniversary. The campsite at Bushay was perfect, and the food at Oco Time was really top notch! I'm looking forward to the next Bendo at Mendo!

Good to read that you had a good time anyway!Now you know where it is...... next time be sure the fish know too. That lake is GREAT when the fish are eating and DAMN AGGRIVATING when they're not.

There's no downed wood or vegetation touching the water in the whole lake!  you got to locate them at the points or underwater structure first, then try to get them to "open up". I found this to be tough when the temps are UP and the fish are DOWN. Did you try to buy LIVE MINNOWS from the shop and troll them?  Seems to be the BEST WAY to go up there, the Stripers will hit them and if you can't find the stripers? at least the LMB and SMB you pass over will happilly take them.

Thanks for the report and BAM III is in the works!