The Fish Sniffer

(Clearlake) Mike Sperbeck and Larry Hemphill, fishing guide, found solid largemouth action on their latest night adventure to Clear Lake, including a couple of hefty bass.

“We launched out of Red Bud at 4 pm and found post-front wind - quite bad,” Hemphill explained. “We moved up to areas we could hide a bit on the west side, catching 5 bass from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 lbs before dark while using small beavers and Berkley Havoc baits.”

“I was trying a NetBait plastic thing in blue/black color. I missed a nice hit at first," said Hemphill. "Then, shortly after, my Flame Green Fireline just got tight. I set on instinct and immediately thought - catfish - all the way to the net.”

“She was big - all 9 lbs 9 oz of her. but, no whiskers - she was a bass, my biggest in 2 years,” he emphasized.

He put her in the livewell in case of a double photo. “Five minutes later, the second subject of the photo picked up my bait and she added 6 lbs 10 oz to the photo,” he noted. “I was pretty stoked about 2 bass for over 16 lbs. It reminded me of the old days at Clear Lake. That was it - and we bounced our way back to Red Bud about 11 pm.”

All of their bass were taken around the 20 foot depth. “These big fish can take a bait so soft - rod sensitivity is everything in the winter,” noted Hemphill. “We were fishing off-shore broke rock fields as best we could in the wind.”

He said the water needs to get around 53-56 degrees for the bass to become a little most active. The water temperature was 46-49 degrees and the water clarity was stained (2 to 4 foot visibility).