tell us the story about your personal best today. Your guide was pretty excited. Glad you got a good one today.

I had an excellent guide. Rod Thigpin put me in the right spot on the 4th cast with his 10" stocker trout I got bit hard in about 25' of water on a slow roll. Rod netted the fish for me and we weighed her at 12 lbs 3 oz. We put her in the livewell for a while and then went to Randy's tackle shop for a pic to post on the wall. The Stocker trout works good do not let anyone teach you different. Those wings on the side create a disturbance that bass detect with their lateral line and in 25' of water they feed on that and profile. If anyone is looking for a guide I highly reccomend Rod Thigpin he will not fish in front of you, he coaches and puts you on fish. He is not a big tournament guy and will not keep info from you like a lot of tournament fishermen / guides will.
Peace
Rich

Here is a pic.
Peace
Rich

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/6574-smaller.jpg

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)

That thing's a toad! Starting the year of right!!!

nice Rich....that thing looks big even up against a fireman! :+

im going to give you a call soon, ill be off first week of March...

good to see your trip went well...

Right on man!!

Nice Fish Rich! What kind of ,if at all, stinger / alternative hook set up did the Stocker have? Also, what rod? (as that's a big ol chunka plastic!) I have 1 -10" stocker and casting it's a bit much for my heaviest rod....although I hope to troll it a bit this spring.... THANKS!!! ALEX

Call (805) 407-3331 when you are ready to fish. I use owner trebles #1 on sevenstrand wire 60#. Use about a 1 1/2" or 2" leader and sececure to line tie. Cut a little vertical notch on the baits nose for the line to slide in to and hot knife close when done. Implant one of the trebles under the bait so it lines up with the end of the gill plate. I use the heaviest of Powell's swimbait rods and had the butt lengthened 3". It is the one that is rated to 10 oz's, 25lb P line and a Shimano Calcutta 401 conquest. Watch your line and let the bait go to the bottom and then start reeling. Hope that helps.
Peace
Rich

In the above post I talk about the swimbait set up I use for my heaviest swimbaits Like the 10" Stocker Trout 12" Castaics and 10 Rago's as well as my custom made heavier lures made by John Hopkins. I was not using the Powell rod on the day I caught my PB with Rod Thigpin.

Rod let me borrow a Loomis swimbait rod and per Rod's suggestion I had spooled my 401 Calcutta with Triple Fish line. The above post is what I always use although I did change to Triple Fish and a borrowed Loomis swimbait rod on the day I caught that 12 lber. I sicerely apologize if that was misleading for any of you.

Peace

Rich