Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Larry Hemphill

It came up a bit in the last 10 minutes - LOL!

Larry Hemphill

It is 2.25 feet on the Rumsey scale today. A little low, but fine for fishing.

Larry Hemphill

That is a tough question because baitfish are very mobile and move a lot - even in the same day. They tend to move shallow during the spring for spawning and then move out as most fish do when the lake begins to drop and the spawn is over. Bait fish are very active and moving all the time. They are ...

Larry Hemphill

As a guide on the lake for 36 years, I don't usually make comments on emails like yours - for obvious reasons. The narrows has been known for years as the home of smaller classes of bass. Not this year!! The two biggest bass hooked this spring by clients - in the 8 to 9 lb range, were hooked in the ...

Larry Hemphill

If you are used to hand control as I have been for my last 9 or 10 bass boats, the foot control isn't the problem. Jamming down the hand control forward and your boat is still not moving forward - that is the problem. Clients laughing at me was not nice - LOL!! Oh - I remember - the foot makes it go...

Larry Hemphill

Two examples of a state with goals that don't benefit the general public. Nearly 100% of the general public 16 and over uses our roads and highways. Tow a boat to Clear Lake west of Yuba City on hwy 20. The hwy is nearly down to the original dirt in some places. Fun to watch your 40 to 90 thousand d...

Larry Hemphill

I have used Berkley Fireline, 30 lb test in the Flame Green color now for years. It will even work on a bigger spinning reel. It is really bright in the black light. No broken line lost fish yet, after several years of night fishing!

Larry Hemphill

This is Larry Hemphill - the chime in guy! Always awake!! August is a slow month at Almanor, but can be better if you know some off-shore structure. Smallies will be deeper during the day, but will move shallow at first light and sometimes the hour before dark. I would look for the deepest part of l...

Larry Hemphill

It was wonderful to attend the shows when they were in Vegas. A little far away now from Yuba City!! You have done a great job showing us the new "stuff" coming out. Bobby - you do a great job keeping people "on point" as they explain their new products. Their time was limited an...

Larry Hemphill

I agree that crankbaits can be excellent at night, especially if you have a lot of flats next to deep water. My biggest crank bass was a 12 lb 10 oz monster from Amador in the good 'ol days - 1989. I really think that worms will out fish jigs in the summer warm water. I have hundreds of night trips ...

Larry Hemphill

Remember - if you are fishing a giant worm like the 10 or 12 inch variety, MAKE SURE you use the proper matching hook! Many of my clients bring good night baits with hooks that are way too small. Gamakatsu 5/0 and 6/0 may be needed. Some of our night baits have a lot of plastic to get thru!!

Larry Hemphill

The baits on his list are good. The 10" Berkley Power worm might be the best - IF your body of water has big bass. I have found after 30 years of night fishing, if I could have only one bait, it would be the 7" black Power worm. This is especially true if your are fishing a lake like Berry...

Larry Hemphill

Just a quick comment on topwater. That bite is the most on/off bite in bass fishing. The morning summer topwater bite is the best of the day usually since the water is the coolest in the summer. Yesterday was the beginning of our first major heat spell, and the surface temp was already 81 degrees on...

Larry Hemphill

I agree with MichaelB! A poet and I didn't know it!! Outboards - of all engines - are designed to run, not sit. A hundred hours in 20 years equals a lot of sitting! DO have it carefully checked out before you buy!!

Larry Hemphill

I have fished beautiful Lake Almanor for most of my adult life. Vacations, guiding, fun fishing, and even night fishing. And recently - tournament fishing in the spring with buddy Mike Sperbeck. We took 3rd last year and 4th this year at the invitational April tournament. June is a post-spawn month ...

Larry Hemphill

I have said this before on the forum. I have sold many of my Ranger boats and they sell fast. Many will not bother to look at a used boat unless it is a Ranger. The last one I sold went in 5 hours after it hit the wb.com classified page. I had cash deposit in my hand, and he lived about 50 miles awa...

Larry Hemphill

Ash - your last sentence was clever - loved it!

Larry Hemphill

I don't fish Oroville as much as I used to, but some of the "rules" of the lake haven't changed much. The one largemouth over 10 lbs that I have caught at Oroville hit a jig near the dam. That was about 20 years ago - in the fall (November). Most largemouth are known to hang in the north f...

Larry Hemphill

I love your name - must have been a winning ticket number! I have written articles on all your questions - they were excellent questions!! I have fished nights for about 40 years - guiding and fun fishing. Last year and so far this year, everyone wants to fish in daylight - imagine that!! Actually, ...

Larry Hemphill

I was reading this thread about night fishing - and there I was! I haven't had many requests for night fishing lately - not sure why. I just do what the public wants, and they like daylight now I guess. Most of the large bass over 10 lbs that my clients and I have caught are more active at night, es...

Larry Hemphill

I just posted my first photos on the forum with my post - and it worked!! Doing stuff on the computer is not my easiest activity. how 'bout that Wayne - didn't have to call you!!!

Larry Hemphill

My recent reports (below) mentioned 16 yr old twins and dad with a 16 lb Berryessa limit, caught in one hour! Next trip, 6 yr old Allison put the adults to shame as she caught the biggest bass at 3 1/4 lbs - hooked, fought, and landed the bass all by herself! Dad said she is a pretty good angler - w...

Larry Hemphill

Most low elevation lakes have water temps that are nearly the same for incoming creeks and streams - depending on their location. The deciding factor is the source of the incoming water. Lake Oroville is the perfect example. Most know that the south fork warms up quicker in the spring because incomi...

Larry Hemphill

I could write an essay on this subject. Just remembered - I did once! I only have time for this: sudden, cold, muddy water is the kiss of death for a bass bite. They do not do well with muddy water going thru their gill plates. They will move to cleaner water if they can find it. If they can't, they...

Larry Hemphill

This is just some late weather info - Wed, 7 pm. Big storm coming as most of you know. This is a cold one and there is 6 to 18 inches of snow forecast for the 2000 ft elevation. Will this happen? Who knows. Not sure I would take the chance. Ramps at Bullards are steep as are the approaching roads. J...

Larry Hemphill

I have been a guide long enough to learn the patterns of clients. Spring is the time everyone wants to get on the water - especially after this present weather pattern! Fishing is good and the chance for a trophy bass is best in the spring. It is a good idea when trying to book a trip to have more t...

Larry Hemphill

Most good guides are not available on such notice and do require a deposit check. Ron Gandolfi is the main bass guide there now. I guided for over 30 years at Oroville and still do on occasion.

Larry Hemphill

I just hope he was enough of a serious fisherman to realize the gravity of what he did. Rare catch in northern California these days. He must have used some good fishing skills to land her on 4 lb test. I wonder if there is a record that can be broken (4 lb test) in California if the bass was offici...

Larry Hemphill

Clear Lake is a harder lake to pattern for the spawn. It is a bit higher elevation at near 1400 feet and often experiences many different weather patterns from March thru the end of May. It has a major coastal weather influence. The bass are often found in the shallows during a warm spell in late Ma...

Larry Hemphill

Hi George! In my opinion, there is a big difference between the 5 and 6 inch Senko. The 6 inch is a thicker bait and needs a bigger, wider gap hook. Hold the 2 sizes in your hands - feel the difference! The 6 inch is a lot of material to plug up the smaller gap of a 2/0 hook. That hook is ok for a 5...

Larry Hemphill

Yes, Stan is an excellent read! I knew him pretty well, even visiting him in his home in Washington state. He was really able to break down some of the major shallow water techniques. I don't think he did a lot of deep water bass fishing. Wonderful, fun gentleman!!!

Larry Hemphill

After the accident I had recently, I have a nearly new Ranger 521 rig that came with the Evinrude 250. When the previous owner said that his boat was powered with the Evinrude, I almost jumped for joy! My 3rd one now and it is wonderful! With all the old arguments about Evinrude, Mercury, or Ford, C...

Larry Hemphill

After my recent accident, totaling my Ranger 521, I was able to buy another nearly new 521 from a private party. I did need several thing checked out and changed for my use - new Minn Kota 112, etc. Jeremy again has been most helpful in helping me make the proper upgrades and giving the Evinrude 250...

Larry Hemphill

I just wanted to thank you for the calls and emails about my accident. I was towing to C&C Marine, Sacramento, for yearly updates a few weeks ago when my trailer had a major problem which led to my boat and truck separating and being totaled. Thankfully, the only un-totaled item was me! God is a...

Larry Hemphill

All those lines so close together on your meter - is that a good thing? - LOL!!! I have been able to fish several lakes near Spokane and have boated on Coeur twice but have never fished it. The smallie you are holding is just beautiful - perfect example of the great fishery you have!!

Larry Hemphill

When I first moved to Yuba City in the late 70's, I heard about the Yuba Goldfields ponds, east of Marysville. I fished them for several years as I had never been around ponds - living in big cities like San Jose. You had to pay to fish them and you could buy a yearly pass. There was lots of ponds -...

Larry Hemphill

I don't know much about Washington bass, but that is a healthy bass. Seems to be feeding well. I remember about 20+ years ago a friend moved to Washington state. He called me a few months later and said the bass fishing was excellent and nobody fishes for them, just salmon and trout! I'm sure that i...

Larry Hemphill

I just found out that Cooch passed away. I was catching up on the forum tonight after posting a report. I didn't know Cooch as well as most of you did since I don't fish the delta much. I did fish one of his youth tournaments several years ago. As I was leaving in the morning with my young people an...

Larry Hemphill

Gary's first sentence pretty much nailed it. To go a bit further, the incoming air mass during an approaching storm is often a warm front. Most storms are followed by a cold front, featuring cloudless skies with bright sun, or at night, a bright moon (during full moon periods). An incoming daytime s...

Larry Hemphill

When I moved to Yuba City many years ago, I fell in love with the Yuba Goldfields ponds. I fished them for years before becoming a licensed guide - busy on the big lakes. It is true that most pond bass become stunted because of over-population - folks not allowed to keep any bass. However, more ofte...

Larry Hemphill

I can comment on the lake. I have fished it off and on for about 20 years and guide on the lake when someone wants to try a different lake. It was a smallmouth - largemouth lake until recently when spotted bass have found their way into the lake, as they always seem to do. A 7 lb 3 oz smallmouth was...

Larry Hemphill

I did see several sizes of dead shad yesterday. Some I could barely see (tiny) to 3 inches. I was surprised to see some bigger dead bass. I have noticed this summer that we have caught a lot more shallow bass in spite of all the hot weather. That might be the reason we lost so many bass during this ...

Larry Hemphill

Congrats on tournament big fish. What a thrill that must have been!! That fish will be in your dreams for many nights! You will land that beauty several more times - in your dreams

Larry Hemphill

I am not a delta expert, but do know jigs. All of the previous posts are excellent! Don't forget that a jig trailer is part of the total package. Try different sizes and actions. In very dingy water, you want a trailer that moves water and offers bulk to the package. Some trailers look good in clear...

Larry Hemphill

I also am very grateful to Bob for treating my clients well! If I was guiding out of the Oaks, I would suggest clients stop at his shop after the trip, maybe picking up some of the successful baits we used. Bob always was very helpful to them!

Larry Hemphill

Many, many years ago a friend of mine moved to Washington state. He called me about 6 month later and was gushing about how good the bass fishing was. We didn't discuss size, but he was one happy dude!!

Larry Hemphill

I have friends who live near Coeur d'Alene (Post Falls). I have never fished the lake but have been all over it by boat. It seems to me it would take years to properly learn that huge lake. One would have to learn the weather patterns for a lake that big too. Big wind could be a problem. I have been...

Larry Hemphill

In a typical lake with a typical summer, the water is usually fairly clear except on a Monday after weekend boating activity. If you can fish on a cloudy day, the rewards can be amazing. One of my home lakes is Oroville, in Northern Calif. This has happened more than once, but we had a totally cloud...

Larry Hemphill

You can call 530 674-0276. I would be happy to talk to you about the lake.

Larry Hemphill

I have fished and guided on the lake for 30+ years. A friend and I took 3rd place in a large spring tournament there this year. I always like to talk to people rather than post info about a lake, mainly because I need to know the specific questions. I could talk for hours about Almanor fishing - day...

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