J Francho

No one would be able to tell you. It's the past, and you didn't try anything else. The next time out might be completely different. I guess I'm missing the part where there was an issue. You pretty much had a very good day on the water. It's like finding a spot where they're biting. Would leave that spot while big fish were biting to see if big fish are biting somewhere else? I sure don't. I stick with what's working and what I know, until it doesn't. If the spinnerbait was on all morning, I would have kept it up if it worked in the afternoon. Now, did you try the whopper flopper in the morning and determined it wasn't working? If not, then it may have worked all day. Or not. But to answer your question, I agree, moving baits high in the water column would be my guess. There's some good suggestions above for the next time this happens.

Well, the whopper flopper worked, so I'll say that, or white spinnerbaits. I mean, they were biting what you were throwing.

I generally just dip them, but you can also use a cotton swab. There should be a video on the JJ's site of JJ himself painting up a pattern with a cotton swab.

I'm using my medium cranking rod (Avid AVC70MM) and a Daiwa Sol reel to toss a 1/2 oz. spoon for steelhead in the first video. In the second, I'm throwing a much smaller spoon with my finesse rod.

Same hooks you already use and like for wacky rigging senkos. I just have various finish nails that I use. If I think it needs more weight, I'll add more. I do have a few of the tungsten nail weights that came with other baits as well. In other words, I go by the way the bait looks in the water. I don't think there's a bass that is thinking, well, that's not 3/32 oz. so I'm not gonna bite it. That said, I do put a heavier weight in a Yum Dinger than I do with a senko, just because senkos sink quicker already. Come to think, maybe that's wrong, too. Don't over think it, wacky it up and shove a nail in the bait. It works.

I was hoping we'd have a member step up and offer. Thanks.

Stay positive.

Forgot about that. I haven't really tried anything light with mine, so I couldn't comment.

Kastking Assassin weighs in at 5.7 oz., though I don't think I can throw anything less than a 1/4 oz. with it.

Probably because they started out as a smallie bait. The first tubes I recall were Gitzits. In fact, no one called them tubes. Any jig head stuffed into a tube was a "Gitzit."

Do you mean "mud dauber" as in wasps?

The Spot Gen3 is $150 and will do what you want. Only need a clear shot to the sky.

That's a simple overflow set up. Most modern bass boats are recirculating, and have a fill/drain/recirc valve.

You'd be better off with a PLB/GPS messenger (Personal Location Beacon). Something like the SPOT Gen3. Walkie-talkie isn't going to cut it, so it's a waste of money, in my opinion.

At that $300/combo price point, you simply cannot make a bad choice. It's such a competitive price point. Okuma is a site sponsor, and I've been real pleased with what I've been sent to test. The EVX are very nice, light, and crisp rods to fish with. Daiwa is packing heat with the Tatula line. Shimano might be a little pricey for what you get, but they last forever. You can always mix and match reels and rods, like above with St. Croix rods, and Okuma reels, just never put a Daiwa on Shimano rod. The earth will reverse it's rotation, and the poles will flip their polarity.

All but one had the gas tank as well.

Every boat I've ever owned had the charger with the batteries. I've always pitched the lid as a matter of practice, but I know many do not with no ill effects.

Just untangle the wind knot, and trolling it out will fix it.

Wind knots are what happens when you get twist in braid. Troll the line out, and reel it back in using slight pressure between your thumb and index finger.

Looks like the older version of the P-Line Technical Snap.

Just keep reeling until the fish pulls back.

I have two, the Mat Daddy and a spinnerbait version. I like them quite a bit, and use them often. Here's a review: https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/mat-daddy-helios-review.html

You can either hold the thumbar up, or slide the lever down on the reel. I find it simpler to just hold the thumbar up. I don't think this is the issue, though maybe. You can't really get the crank side back on if it's not aligned.

Got it. You think the drag washers are worn? Mike at Delaware Valley Tackle can probably set you up with a Carbontex drag.

Braid with no backer?