roadwarrior

Here is the 9.7lb smallmouth:

Old school...Focus on the spinnerbait.

Spring has sprung!

Rage Tail Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits MegaStrike Roboworm Mann's Gene Larew GitZit

Catching fish is all that counts with kids.

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing-apparel

You might try a Red Eye Shad.

BEEE-U-TI-FUL fish!

That's a BIG NO-NO for me. Sharp hooks will embed themselves during the fight.

What size tube do you recommend?

Nothing beats a personal recommendation. Tell your guide what you expect: "to have a great trip and catch lots of fish". Specify that you are after numbers not so much size. I make it clear before hiring the man that I want him to find the fish, but we don't want him fishing once we get on them.

When I was growing up: Harold Ensley, The Sportsman's Friend https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Ensley

When I fish with a guide I follow his lead...That's why I hired him!

The other side of getting skunked:

I like to try new lures during a good bite, too.

Last summer I was fishing with Long Mike and ghoti (The Three Amigos) on the White River. Mike and Gary caught more than 50 trout, including a couple of big browns. I hooked up with one fish and lost it. That was my only bite all day.

My situation is more relaxing. I fish where the big dogs live, without a doubt. Most of the time it works, occasionally not. I expect things to work all of the time and am not particularly disappointed when it doesn't. The exception is when I am taking someone new out for their "dream trip". I haven't been able to put my brother on a 6 lb smallmouth...yet!

Pi,t=∫λ=700λ=350Ai(λ)RT(λ)Eh(λ)Pi,t=∫λ=350λ=700AiλRTλEhλ That's what I was thinking...

Jerkbaits are the only class of lure that I fish on monofilament. I like the Sunline Defier Armilo, too!

The only thing I get from BPS is their Tender Tubes and I'm working on substitutes for them.

Sure.