(209) 599-2023

August 17, 2006

Press Release

New Lake Record Striper at New Hogan Reservoir!

17-year-old James Puricelli had the experience of a lifetime on a fishing trip at New Hogan Reservoir.  James is from Shenandoah, Iowa, and was here to visit his grandmother Cindee Baier in Ceres.  His grandmother’s friend thought it would be fun to take him fishing.  He called Bruce Hamby of Sierra Sportfishing (209) 599-2023, and booked a trip to catch striper on New Hogan.

Once on the lake, Bruce set up an ultra-light G. Loomis 841 kokanee rod with 8-pound leader and shad-rolling rig.  This is a very light set-up- perfect to have some fun with the 5-to-6-pound stripers that are typically caught at Hogan.  Ten minutes into the trip, James got a hook-up, but it was no 5-pounder!  The line burned off the reel until the spool was almost empty and metal was showing.  A long battle ensued.  At one point they almost had the fish in the net, but it wouldn’t fit, and when Bruce tried to grab its tail to help get it into the boat, it took off again.  It took 45 minutes before the fish was landed.   

When Bruce, James and the other anglers got the striper into the boat, they couldn’t believe it!  The fish was huge- 43 ½” long, and weighed a whopping 31 ½ pounds, according to the certified scale at Austin Meat Market in Ripon, where it was weighed later.

The biggest striper on record caught at New Hogan Reservoir was 22-pounds, so James’ 31.5-pounder fish surpassed that by far!  Congratulations, James, on catching a fish of a lifetime!

For further information, please call Bruce Hamby of Sierra Sportfishing (209) 599-2023. 

I've attached two pictures of James and his giant fish.