RoLo

Good point. Assuming of course, that they have a mind

With a hard swimbait, I'm happy with 6:1 reel ratio for all situations. In that manner, I'll always be in touch with the lure's actual speed, without dirtying my perception with different ratios. With a soft swimbait, it would depend on where you work the lure. Most of the time, when I pick up the soft swimbait, the lure will be hurled 20 yards over a pad-bed (spatterdock in fact, the pads held above the water surface). With a low reel ratio, you'll have the power to maintain a slow, steady cranking rotation, while bullying the lure through the burly pad stems that would otherwise interrupt your cranking cadence. Roger

The Jobee jighead is very weedless, BUT that long, spongy hook isn't conducive to solid hooksets. Charlie Brewer's Slider Head is far superior (the wide-gap version), but since it rides with the jighead cocked upward, it's not as weedless as the Jobee. Roger

0.078" Wire ? I would fish that jig with a broom handle

It used to be all 'hollow frogs', then in 2004 the Zoom Horny Toad launched 'Solid Toad' mania. If you're looking for buzzbait-like commotion, you'd have trouble beating the Strike King Rage Toad. For the early post-spawn though, I usually toss a Stanley Ribbit or Gambler Cane Toad Roger

Whenever a sinker & hook are unitized you've got a 'jighead', but there are countless designs. I don't care for the Jobee design for a couple reasons. The bond between the sinker & hook is easily broken then the sinker will rotate on the hook shank (that's not too kool). Also, the hook is too long and springy. Roger

As mentioned above, a low rod position keeps more line underwater, which minimizes wind-resistance and affords better depth control. FYI: A trolling rod positioned parallel to the horizon is referred to as a 'flat line'. Roger

That wouldn't be me.

Is Manabu Kurita on these boards?

For use as a main-line, I would not use Floroclear, CX or CXX. On the other hand, I tie my dropshot rigs with P-Line CXX. Roger

That's why I inquired about latitude. Pre-spawn scouting typically involves buck bass, but if the OP lives in Florida he's in the spawning season.

Welcome to the forum. At what latitude are you located?

I lived in Jersey for 50 years, now retired in Florida. Most of my bass fishing was in central Jersey (Farrington, Spruce Run, Round Valley ~ ~), but I fished a great deal in south Jersey for chain pickerel. Some of my favorite pickerel waters were Wading River, Chatsworth Lake, Bamber Lake & Double Trouble. I'm sure the scenario is different today. Roger

I can't say that lens color makes a noticeable difference in my underwater vision. So generally, I'll just buy whatever lens color appeals to me. That color is normally 'amber', which some dealers call 'copper' and others might call 'brown'. Roger

Is that same store clerk still working there?

Based solely on a 23" length, a full-figured bass would weigh around 7 pounds. Roger

When your lure is sinking thru dense cover, I would hesitate to say that 'hook-sets are free', especially in a stump-field. I don't swing at everything I 'think' is a strike, but only when I really believe it's a strike. That's a lot easier than it sounds, because the difference between thinking it's a hit and knowing it's a hit is extremely minute. In fact, it's not enough reason for me to revamp my hook-set mode. When working in weedbeds (as we always are) my lure may stop sinking a half-dozen times on the way to the bottom. I have to keep nudging the lure along so it continues on its way to the bottom. If I swung every time my lure stalled on its way down, I'd look like a wind-up doll. On the other hand, when you feel any tick, tap or jab, you don't 'think' it's a strike, you 'know' it's a strike. When your line jumps in any direction, you don't 'think' it's a strike, you 'know' it's a strike. Just as soon as you detect a strike, it's time to set the hook. Roger

Yes, a big advantage when bank fishing by overhanging trees & dense brush (i.e. the best spots) All other things equal, a shorter rod is also more sensitive than a longer rod (comes closer to hand-lining). Also, a shorter rod offers more water clearance for working a jerkbait, without standing on your toes For sure, a longer rod offers greater casting distance, which has been done to death, but a shorter rod offers better casting accuracy (less magnified lateral error) As a bonus, shorter rods are easier to store than longer rods, in your home, your truck and your boat. Roger

Yup, that happened to me on several occasions, and one time that was also the last bass of the day I'm not at all superstitious, so I chalked it up as a comedic coincidence. To be fair though, a 'first-cast' bass is more commonly a harbinger of a good day. Roger

I throw the Rat-L-Trap, Aruku Shad and Red-Eye Shad. If I had to pick just one, I'd probably go with the Spro Aruku Shad 75 - chrome blue I prefer the 5/8 oz size because it provides a longer cast, it's easier to slow-roll near bottom and it's not dwarfed by the treble hooks. Roger

Most anglers envision a short rod as a thin, wimpy blank, and therein lies the prejudice. In order to have a fair comparison between a long and short rod, all other things must be equal: same blank material, root diameter, spine and taper. When 'rod length' is evaluated in isolation, the shorter rod will offer more advantages than the longer rod. Legendary Zane Grey was the first man to boat a fish over 1,000 pounds. As you can see, the distance between the reel seat and tiptop guide is less than 6 feet. When all other things are equal, "Power" is one of several advantages of a shorter rod. Roger

Good idea Tom

The FWC ought to know better, because one of the largest panthers in Florida was a roadkill in Palm Coast, just south of your area. In fact, that wasn't the only cat found in Palm Coast either. It is true though, that the lion's share of cougars follow the Lake Wales Ridge, which runs from Sebring to Clermont. Florida is essentially flat, but we live in the highest portion of peninsular Florida, close to BOK Tower, which is 100 yards above sea level. It might be that the cougar's attraction to ridge lines may tie into one of their many other names: 'mountain lion' (I really don't know) Roger

Mike, I had to show you my backyard buddies (I took these photos a few years ago) Roger

I envy you. We have bear to the east and west of us, but not right here to my knowledge. Two years ago my wife seen a Florida panther within a 1/4 of our house (Canal Road near Lake Pierce) I never have, though I've seen one road-killed cougar.