tholmes

Vibra Traps? I love the chrome/blue and the red shad colors. So do the bass. Browsing through their website is fun. The variety of colors is amazing. https://rat-l-trap.com/freshwater.php Tom

When I'm not fishing for black bass, I like to go after stripers, wipers and catfish (especially blues and flatheads). Tom

I use open shank double hooks (Eagle Claw #274, Mustad #7826 or Gamakatsu #303). Put them on (no split ring) so the points face backwards for less hang-ups. Tom

My simple solution to ice on the guides - don't get water on 'em when it's below freezing. Tom

Try this. Link: http://www.mudeyelures.com.au/page34.html Tom

I almost never use snaps on crankbaits. I tie to the split ring. If I need to change lures, well, it's probably time to re-tie anyway. Tom

i target bass (largemouth and smallmouth) primarily, but I'll fish for pretty much anything that swims. This year, I've caught wipers, stripers, white bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout, cutthroat trout, channel cat, flathead, blue cat, carp and drum. No sense in limiting myself to only one species. Tom

Individual worms, I used to buy 'em from Barlow's. 7-1/2" ribbon tails for $14.00 per 100. They don't carry 'em anymore Tom

This^ Along with the Gillraker worm. Tom

1. Plastic worms, easily over 500 on hand. 2. craws/creature baits. 3. Jigs. I make my own, so I have a bunch on hand. 4. crankbaits (including jerkbaits) 5. Flukes / swimbaits 6. Spinnerbaits 7. Blade baits Once again, I make 'em myself so I have plenty. This is only bass tackle. If I counted panfish/trout lures, jigs would be the big winner, by far. Tom

Sure, it's possible. There could be another bass with the right genetics, food source, growing conditions, etc. grow to record-breaking size. Given the number of people fishing for bass today, it's bound to happen someday. Tom

^ This. The only way to stop losing lures is to stop fishing. You can lessen hang-ups by replacing the treble hooks on your spoons with single hooks, but that won't eliminate them either. It's a cost of fishing, especially if you, like me, fish exclusively from shore. Tom

Try a 4" Lunker City Slug -Go. Tom

Jekbaits, lipless crankbaits, blade baits (not bladed jigs, the silver buddy type), finesse jigs (bucktail jigs in particular) and small crankbaits. Tom

Caught my first largemouth at age 8, in 1960. 56 years ago. Geez, I'm old. Tom

It also looks similar to a H2O Xpress crankbait from Academy Sports. Tom

A fossil? Tom

Class of 1970, huh. That makes us the same age. Old Tom

I've been a Chiefs fan for as long as the Chiefs have been in KC. Years past, the Raiders were a bitter rival, but I always respected them. You always knew what you were getting with the Raiders. Straight up big boy football. Looking forward to the rematch in Arrowhead on Dec. 8. Tom

Take your rod with you when you go to check out reels. Try likely candidates on the rod to check for balance, ergonomics, etc. On an ultralight, a few ounces of reel weight can make a noticeable difference. Remember: the reel will be slightly heavier when spooled vs. empty. Tom

The President 6920b would be, IMHO, a perfect match. A 25 series reel would be a tad too large for an ultralight rig. Another good choice would be a Shimano Sahara SH1000 FE. Tom

^ What MBB Nate said. Tom

I don't mind the cold, it's the snow that I HATE! I wouldn't mind snow so much if I didn't have to spend half of my day driving in it. Even driving in snow wouldn't be so bad, but there's a certain percentage of the population that doesn't seem to grasp the concept. Tom

If the output voltage from the MP3 player is too high, you'll also blow the phono pre-amp. It's strictly for phono cartridge level input, which is about 1% of line level voltage from a CD player, tape deck, etc. Tom

I have found this to be the source of "screaming" more often than not. Bad bearings don't typically make that noise. Like DVT said, clean the inside of the brake drum, put a small drop of oil on a cotton swab and wipe it around the drum. Tom