Hi Guys,

I saw the posting by Jimmy ;o) Castro but it was a while ago so here is the skinny on the trip that Dave and I took with Mr. Hemphill. I apologize if locations are not 100% accurate but we were fishing new water.

Dave and I hooked up with Larry about 4pm that Saturday. We launched from the M&M campground and scooted out to Rattlesnake Island. We did not ffish there but Larry was showing us where fish were holding in winter: offshore ledges and rock piles.

Per Larry we were fishing very tough conditions and he had apparently considered rescheduling the trip. Full moon, post-frontal, no cloud cover, and cold as hell! Anyway we went to a rocky shoreline south of Konocti (sp?) and fished with crankbaits. I picked up some good tips on crank bait fishing and also on controlling casts from a spinning setup but we got no bites. We tried cranking a couple more places, no luck, so we switched off to worms using a glass bead and bullet wieght. I got bit but lost it; apparently I was horsing it in. We continues to fish until about 7 when we boke for dinner.

After dinner we worked more rocky shorline south of the Koncti Inn. We were fishing shadows caused by pilings and docks. We got a few bites but getting a good hookset was very difficult. Larry got tagged a couple of times but missed them as he was having a problem with his reel. Dave got bit a couple of times but also had trouble getting a good hookset. Fish (including a good one) swam straight at the boat. Dave and I also had a lot of problems snagging up on the rocks; I am used to fishing plastics very slowly and apparently went fishing over rocks you need to move it faster.

Next we went through the narrows (burrrr) to a rock near there (can't remember the name). By this time (midnight) the wind was picking up. We fished that using the same working setup until about 1am which was time to go in. I caught a 3.8 off the rock. Dave got bit but didn't land anything.

On our way back in Larry pulled up to a spot where there was an unmarked rockpile. We got the most bites here (several in a few minutes). Dave hooked up one that looked like it would go 5# or so but his line must have been nicked as he broke off at the boat. Larry also hooked into a really nice fish using a jig but dumped it at the boat as well, appparently because he had not gotten a good hookset.

We all concluded that it just wasn't happening that night, went back to the hotel, and crashed. Still it was a good trip in that I learned:

* No matter how tought things are you can still get fish to bite.
* I need to get a fish finder to locate bottom structure.
* The location of an unmarked rockpile.
* Cranking technique

Last, if you can spare the bucks, Larry is a very goood guide. He got us bit in conditions that I would have bet $$$ that no bites could be had.

Fish on!

Just wondering - what is the going rate for him? Really want to learn Clear Lake better and catch that monster I lost!

Thanks in advance!

Samurai TI

It was $260 for the two of us. Plus we paid another $68 for a hotel room. And $$$ for food, beer, dancing girls, etc.

Wow Clint sounds like you guys had a tuff time under tuff conditions. Also sounds like Mr.Hemphill is a cool well knowledge guide. Look forward in getting together with you guys and hooking up. :-)

I likes Larry. Dave and I are going to try to go out with him again in the spring. You going out this weekend?

Yea, I hope to make it out this weekend. This last weekend was tuff for Lzyfish and I fishing here in the Delta. I'm open to suggestions.

Lake, have you heard from Darce? I think he said he was going to try hitting Shadow Cliffs this last weekend. And what’s up with “E” haven’t heard from him in awhile?

I even think Tonto said he was thinking on hitting San Luis Fore bay for Stripers

I just found out I am going to have to work all weekend so I guess I'll not be able to join you Joe. :o(

Dave and I went to Shadow Cliffs on Sunday, very tough bite. The fish we got were decent quality but I think I had four bites all day, two hook ups. One went 3.7#, the other was about 2#. Dave landed a 3.5#.

I will speek with Darce this week,E is hurt his new job has him working hella hours,he hasnt fished since Clear Lake,but he is making bank.I dont know of Tonto.I have not deceided where to go maybe North Delta (dead horse) and get some smallies

Thanks for sharing with us,sounds like you learned a lot

I think I learned a lot. The lesson I really learned is to have confidence that I can get bites even when conditions truely suck. I realize that this will not always be true but if we can get bit on a night like that and I should be able to get SOME bites assuming I can locate fish. Which leads to lesson 2: I need a fishfinder.

Learning and understanding your confidence in your ability to catch fish under any conditions is a huge lesson learned and worth twice what the trip costed you.Confidence is the biggest thing that separates the Barracks,Dobbyns,Reese's,Sapps,etc. from the rest of the fisherman out there.Good Job Clint!

So Clint what type of finder are you looking for? I have been thinking of upgradeing mine and just looking for some sugestions.

Paul

I'm not sure what model I am going to get but it will probably be a Lowrance. Larry Hemphill was using a Lowrance fish finder of some kind. It was an LCD model and it looked really good. Per him he said to go for the higher resolution screen as it will show arcs better. I was planning on emailing Larry H for the model number. I'll forward it if and when I get it.

I've used an old Lowrance paper graph and it rocked.

I have the lowrance x75a on the front of my boat and it is sweet but not cheap.It has and does everything,any of the Lowrance model with large #'s of pixels will be good

If you can afford the best look into buying a Pinpoint finder.
my 02.