great job cliff. wtg steve.

Beautiful cat there Steve. Congrats!

Dont worry John, got them tied up till we go

HAHAHA cool!

WTG Cliff, still cant believe you get those nice blues in the gudalupe.. Beautiful replicas as well.. Gonna do that when i get my first 100 lber! lol

Thanks for the congrats, Gents! Jeez, I had fun on 7-15lbers. This one wore me out. It gave me the chance to show Cliff what a wimp I was.
Shameless Plug: Caught ol' girl on an Abu 5k and a Team Catfish rod. That TC rod held it's own quite well. I was very impressed.

Learned a lot personally that day. I've learned that it's extremely important to have the gear that can handle the load, but sensitive and not too bulky for the lighter fish. I've also learned, in hindsight, that I need to work on playing with the fighting drag....while fighting!! That's what it's there for, just have to get my clumsy fingers conditioned. Last, but not least, I've also learned that I'm finally confident about my abilities to do everything I can to keep that fish on during the fight. Fish can always spit the hook, or hang up your line in cover and you can lose it a number of ways, but I REALLY felt confident about handling that rod to make sure there were no mistakes on my end. Now, if I can just get comfortable playing with the drag during a fight, to the point where it feels natural, then I'll be good to go. These lessons might sound corny, but it's all about self improvement.
It was awesome watching Cliff waking her up and letting her go so that someone else can have a shot at her. Great feeling!
Steven

Congrats Steven, now your spoiled rotten. Great fish.

............Yes!!!!

Thanks, Ray! That was a nice fish, but I really just enjoy being out on the water, so anything else is gravy.....although the gravy that day was made from caviar!!
Steven

For the record, Cliff spoils me every single time I go out with him. My close fishing buddies, as well as myself, just have the best time with this guy. I learn SO MUCH from Cliff on each trip, so I'm never left empty handed. Maybe there is a bit of brotherhood involved because we had both served in the military (different branches), so we both have a similar outlook on life. Cliff has both the integrity and appreciation for the small things in life that I have. I can really relate to this guy, even though we have very different backgrounds. EVERY single time I book a trip with Cliff, I know I will have a blast on the water, and it's not because he can put me on the biggest fish or because he can limit out. He's an amazing guy who TEACHES! More importantly, he is just fun to be around, and all of my fishing buddies pray to God that he will pursue his other profession someday, so that we can drag him with us on all of our adventures....not because we want him to put us on fish, but because we just like hanging out with the guy. You just can't help but enjoy his company. Ya'll, guides don't get rich doing this stuff, and as clients, we wear and tear all the gear that they provide. The GUIDE has to turn around what we pay him and put that money back into the business. Remember that next time you break a rod or a reel, or screw something up on their boat. If you go out with a guide, pick his brain. Cliff is an open book, and while he can tell you everything that you need to know, sometimes........those darn fish won't bite. That's a fact! Learning from these guides and picking their brains is what you should be doing when you hire them, because it increases your chances of success. Don't ask your guide about GPS coordinates........fish swim!! Ask them about conditions, presentation, and most importantly, execution! You will learn how to be a better fisherman and increase your odds, but we all get skunked, right? When you pay for a guide, pick their brain, but do it methodically and you will have a better plan of attack when you hit the lake without a guide. Food for thought, guys. Just trying to relay how much I get out of a trip from Guide Cliff Hill. I certainly don't pay him enough for the experience, but I'm not stupid and I don't pass up the chance to get on the lake with him......for the record....I TRY TO TIP AS BEST AS I CAN!!!!! It is well worth it, when you start catching fish in the long run. Okay, I'm off my soap box about how much I enjoy my experiences with Cliff.
I felt like Rocky with Mickey (Cliff) in my corner while I was fighting that fat cat.....although, he didn't call me a bum. He coached me through landing that giant cat. Could I have landed it myself without Cliff's help? Hopefully, but it's nice to have someone in your corner. That was an amazing experience! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! Thank you TFF and goodnight!!
Steven

Cliff,

Nice hearing all the good reports about a great Guy.

Was thinking about you yesterday as I was putting some reflective tape on my new, older boat.

Again, Congrats.....