JKitz
02-22-2009, 10:15 PM
Well its been some time since I posted a report online and quite frankly I haven't had anything to report. Only fished about 5 times in the past few months and those have been tournaments at Perris. And I HATE Perris. That lake has kicked me around numerous times. I was actually doubting that I can even fish anymore.
That's when I decided to give Art Hill a call and see if he could help me out. He responded back that day telling me he had an opening for Friday. It was on...
We get to the lake at about 6:25 and Art started to tell me that usually its the speed that you are fishing that can put you back on fish. We get to our first spot and started to drop-shot. No lie on my first cast, I was on a fish. Man that felt good. I basically just let the bait sit on the bottom and just shoot it a couple times and I felt that slight tip that I have longed to feel again.
Within 15 minutes Art and I had a limit of fish and I was feeling good again. Art put on a clinic for the next hour or so and upped the total to about 10 fish. He was kicking my butt for a little while, but that didn't last.
Everywhere we went, Art took the time to explain the structure beneath the water and told me which direction he had the most success in the past with. And it WORKED!! At one point we had close to 15 fish or so and then Art turned to me and said I bet its about 9:30 - 10am because that's the time the wind will usually pick up. I looked at my watch and told him it was 9:42. He gave a little smirk and continued to fish. The man really knows his stuff out there.
We fished until 1pm because I had other arrangements and Art was battling flu-like symptoms (I would have stayed home myself, thanks again Art). We boated about 40 fish or so, with yours truly being the hot stick (I probably ended the day with about 25 fish).
Fish averaged about 2-3lbs and I was amazed how solid they were. They were eating very good there. Art did farm a couple nice fish, one that would have been a donkey too (he was smack talking to me instead of trying to land it).
If anyone hasn't had the opportunity to fish with Art, I am telling you, its definitely worth every penny. I have been fishing for over 10 years now for bass and even fish tournaments here and there (donating all the time). I thought I had to swallow my pride to hire a guide to help me out. Boy, I am glad I did. He restored a lot of my confidence again and just really let me do my thing and gave me some helpful pointers that put me back in the zone.
Thanks Art, you will be hearing from me again real soon. I need to work on my carolina rig fishing now (yeah, I know some say its a do nothing rig, but I suck at it)..
Until next time....
Here are some of the fish we caught...
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009001-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009002.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009004-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009007-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009003-1.jpg
This is the same fish as the 4th picture above, but the snow-capped hill over Vail Lake was pretty cool to see (rarely see snow there)...
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009008-1.jpg
That's when I decided to give Art Hill a call and see if he could help me out. He responded back that day telling me he had an opening for Friday. It was on...
We get to the lake at about 6:25 and Art started to tell me that usually its the speed that you are fishing that can put you back on fish. We get to our first spot and started to drop-shot. No lie on my first cast, I was on a fish. Man that felt good. I basically just let the bait sit on the bottom and just shoot it a couple times and I felt that slight tip that I have longed to feel again.
Within 15 minutes Art and I had a limit of fish and I was feeling good again. Art put on a clinic for the next hour or so and upped the total to about 10 fish. He was kicking my butt for a little while, but that didn't last.
Everywhere we went, Art took the time to explain the structure beneath the water and told me which direction he had the most success in the past with. And it WORKED!! At one point we had close to 15 fish or so and then Art turned to me and said I bet its about 9:30 - 10am because that's the time the wind will usually pick up. I looked at my watch and told him it was 9:42. He gave a little smirk and continued to fish. The man really knows his stuff out there.
We fished until 1pm because I had other arrangements and Art was battling flu-like symptoms (I would have stayed home myself, thanks again Art). We boated about 40 fish or so, with yours truly being the hot stick (I probably ended the day with about 25 fish).
Fish averaged about 2-3lbs and I was amazed how solid they were. They were eating very good there. Art did farm a couple nice fish, one that would have been a donkey too (he was smack talking to me instead of trying to land it).
If anyone hasn't had the opportunity to fish with Art, I am telling you, its definitely worth every penny. I have been fishing for over 10 years now for bass and even fish tournaments here and there (donating all the time). I thought I had to swallow my pride to hire a guide to help me out. Boy, I am glad I did. He restored a lot of my confidence again and just really let me do my thing and gave me some helpful pointers that put me back in the zone.
Thanks Art, you will be hearing from me again real soon. I need to work on my carolina rig fishing now (yeah, I know some say its a do nothing rig, but I suck at it)..
Until next time....
Here are some of the fish we caught...
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009001-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009002.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009004-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009007-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009003-1.jpg
This is the same fish as the 4th picture above, but the snow-capped hill over Vail Lake was pretty cool to see (rarely see snow there)...
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s70/Reelanglers/Art/VAILLAKE2009008-1.jpg