BY DAVE HURLEY
ANGELS CAMP – The Angels Camp region in the Mother Lode has produced some of the West Coast’s top swimbait anglers, willing to make 1000 casts or more to produce one huge largemouth bass. John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service is one of these homegrown anglers willing to put in the wear and tear on their casting shoulders to find the trophies, and the past few months at New Melones have been outstanding for the big ones. Recently, Liechty said, “January is the month. The conditions line up, the big fish feed, and dreams become reality. If there’s ever a time to chase a giant, this is it.” Well, his words proved prophetic as he has been putting his clients onto trophies this month highlighted by a 10.47-pound largemouth by longtime client, Nate Monroe.
Liechty added, “Things are really lining up at New Melones as the lake is super healthy right now, and bass fishing pressure is way down with the restrictions for the golden mussels requiring quarantine or decontamination. I predict within a few years the lake will be a world-class bass fishery with the high water and great conditions. Of course, it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the right bait, but I have been fishing the lake long enough to see the pattern as there is clearly a window when the big fish are willing to bite a properly placed presentation. All our big fish have come on the 9-inch Hawg Hunter swimbait, but we have found bass from 4 to 6 pounds on finesse techniques. Throwing swimbaits is what my clients are primarily interested in, and we have had success with a couple of 10’s, a 9, and a couple of 8’s since November,’ adding, “My recent trip with Monroe, didn’t really start on the water, but it started years ago.
I sent a text to Nate telling him I was on some big fish. After all the years we’ve spent chasing giant bass together, he knows when I rarely reach out, but when I do, I’m serious. He knows the difference between a casual invite and a call of intent. And when I make that call, it means one thing: this is a real opportunity. I’ve been guiding Nate for over ten years. He’s not only a great student, but a great friend. Seven years ago, I guided him to his personal best, a 9.3-pound largemouth. Since that day, his goal has been clear and unwavering: a double-digit largemouth. Every trip. Every cast. Every season. So, when I told him to come out, he dropped what he was doing, and he made the right decision. The day started with catching fish, big fish, but not the one. We weren’t fishing for good. We were fishing for a GIANT. Around 2 PM, I made a quiet decision to change spots as the conditions just felt right. We slid in, made a couple setup casts. Then Nate bombed the swimbait into the perfect location. Mid-conversation, I said calmly, ‘This is the cast you’re going to catch your double-digit fish on.’ Conversation stopped. Focus locked in. Seconds later, hook set. The fight slowed everything down. No panic. No rush. Every lesson from every year showed up in that moment. He landed that fish smooth, controlled, patient. It was his time. It was our time. We smiled when she hit the net. We hadn’t weighed her yet, but we both knew. Still, we gave the moment the respect it deserved. Then we put her on the scale – 10.47 pounds. One of the most genuine yells of joy I’ve ever heard. No words needed. Just years of work, trust, and persistence coming together. One of the greatest moments I’ve ever Xperienced on the water, not because of the number, but because of what it represented.”
Finding these big fish is an art, and Liechty is one of the artists willing to put in the time teaching others to find their ‘fish of a lifetime.”
