WRB-2.0

Basically 3 types of lure retrievers; telescoping pole, heavy weight knocker and knocker with sash chain. Frabil pole works good to depths about 12’. Frits knocker works at any depth. BPS Easy retriever knocker w/ sash chain. Tom

I am not a fan of horizontal drop shot presentation. When the cast is more then 45 degrees angle away I use the Slip shot* (finesse C-rig). The OP’s rod is perfect reel spinning? for both drop shot and slip shot rigs. Line can be braid to leader or leader or straight line either mono, co poly or fc. I prefer using straight mono or FC without braid when fishing from a boat because line twist can be manage**. Drop shot hook is essential, size 1 Owner Mosquito or Gamakatsu drop shot hook for nose hooking or wacky. Weedless I use Owner #5133 size 2/0 for finesse worms. Light wire hooks help the soft stay off the bottom. Drop shot I start off using a wacky hooked worm with the weight about 8” to 12” above the 1/8 to 1/4 oz weight depending on depth, wind etc. when the weight hits bottom simple lift the rod to take up the slack line keeping the weight on the bottom and let the rod tip do it’s own movements, no need to shake it. You can lift the rod tip to move the weight. Try nose hooking if the wacky isn’t working. Line 7# to 10# FC. Slip shot use 1/8-1/4 oz mojo tubular weight and Carolina Keeper weight stopper with the # 5133 hook, adjust the keeper about 30” above the hook. Weedless hook the soft plastic. You cast this rig as far as you want, let sink to the bottom and slowly drag the weight along the bottom, drift it or use the rod and reel. Because the weight is what you feel strikes can be a tick or a rubber band like pull. Hook set is reel and rod sweep, same as drop shot. The Carolina keeper allows adjusting weight to hook length easily by squeezing and sliding the Keeper. Line, I use 5# Maxima Ultra Green copoly. Mono helps to keep the line off the bottom reducing snags. Tom * uses main line or braid w/leader. I add a 8mm faced glass bead between the weight and Keeper to add clicking sound. ** drag the line behind the boat at walking speed without anything tied on untwist the line.

Hook set technique using sharp hook is reel tight with rod sweep, no need to cross thier eyes hard rod set anymore. Tom

Super Rooster Tail comes 1/8 oz w/ single hook. Tom

Why do you think it’s a void in your rod selection? I use a MC NAC-T681M/Si as a utility casting rod. Could use a longer MF for 1/4oz - 5/8 oz - 5/8 oz crank baits for a little longer casting, the 6’8” is all I need. Tom

A few years ago sold all but 2 bait casting combo’s, all I need to occasionally back seat bass fishing. ALX custom 5 power 6’10 fast rod w/ Tatula TW SV reel and 12# Tatsu FC line. Jig & worms. Major Craft Iovino Splash-It rod 6’8” MF w/ Shimano SLX MGL 70 reel and 11# Armilo mono line. Utility rod for top water, jerk baits, medium diving crank baits to 5/8 oz, smaller T-rigged soft plastic etc. Finesse and Senko presentations I use 3 spinning combo’s. Tom

I haven’t bought an off the shelf casting jig & worm rod in 40 years, all mine were custom builds. What is important to me is guide train, reel handle fit, balance and weight, specific rod over all length, butt to seat, short beveled fore grip, power, action, cast ability with specific lure weight. State of the art rod blank to perform all the above with satisfaction guaranteed with excellent customer service. You communicate all your needs with the rod builder, can’t do this with off the shelf rods that make too many compromises to satisfy average. My last rods were ALX customs by Alex. Tom

If the bottom is mucky use a lighter weight it picks less junk. In fact a #4 (1/8 oz) split shot about 8” above the worm works good during pre spawn. Tom PS, Bill Murphy’s stitching technique.

I tried to rescue a big snapping turtle back in the 60’s at Bull Shoals lake that was hooked to a limb line. Being from California had no idea this was someone’s set line. Pulled up the line and the big snapper had a big hook in its mouth so tried to knock it free with oar paddle. The big turtle bit down on the oar of the rental boat wouldn’t let go. Cut the line and tied the oar to the anchor rope hoping the turtle would release its grip and continue to bass fish. The turtle never release the oar and it was time to return the boat. I pulled the turtle into the front of the boat carefully tied the turtle so it could move and went back to the boat landing. The big turtle probably over 50 lbs never release the oar. The old man at the dock took one looked and asked if I wanted the turtle and I said no, he walked away. I untied the turtle, using the oar pull the turtle onto the dock. I was still pulling on the turtle when an axe chopped off its head! The old man never warned me! When I went to pay for the boat rental the old man asked if I liked turtle soup? I said never tried it he said come to the house. How much do owe you….he replied nothin. Tom

There are several old farts in the 80’s on this site me included. I don’t like to guess at what rod, reel and line you are using so please answer the question. Knowing what you are using will get more detailed response. Tom

Yep, used Spinrites in both weights plus Pedigo was my favorite pork rind trailer L3 & L4 until Uncle Josh bought the company and killed it. Little George tail spinner became the go to spinrites. I had a mold made with a sliding line design that incorporate a small vinyl skirt in both spinerite shape and tail spinner that work good, don’t have the mold anymore, still have a few lures. Tom

We actually caught bass before GPS/Sonar by studying topography maps using visual land marks by triangulation. When flashers came out we could tell the depth and fish between the surface and near bottom covering a small cone area. Flashers were superseded by paper graphs that printed a history of what the boat passed over. Graphs were superseded by digital 2D sonar followed by color sonar with GPS.. Todays sonar units can scan a wider area up to 360 degrees plus full screen FFS. You can put me in a boat with paper top map, compass and I can bass anywhere. Tom

That’s how we usually stumble into good spots by trail and error. Using way points is how I return to spots off shore now. Always observing the environment and terrain for signs that indicate potential, need to fish to find out what’s is actually there. Tom

The simple bar of soap wrapped in a wash cloth works to remove oil and gasoline odors. Colgate white tooth paste is a good hand cleaner removes odors is what I use. Fish attractants don’t attract bass but don’t repel them either. 100% anise oil 2 1/2 oz bottle (Pro Cure) will last a long time about $5. Only need a few drops to a bag of soft plastics. Gel type attractant like MegaStrike or Edge Hot Sauce work to mask your scent. Tom

Dobyns Trout & Pan Fish spinning rod 6’7” Shimano Stradic 500 size Excellent combo. Tom

Spinning or bait casting? Tom

Record Kentucky Spotted bass is 7 lbs 10 oz. Record Southern (Alabama) bass is 11 lbs 4 oz, world record. Like Largemouth bass IGFA doesn’t recognize Northern Largemouth Bass vs Florida strain LMB although they are different species. Lake Perris in SoCal has record size Spotted bass coexisting with FLMB until Copper Nose Florida Blue Gill were introduced. The Florida Blue Gill decimated the Spotted bass spawn the Bluegills ate eggs and fry, no more Spots in Perris, FLMB are doing well. Tom

There are 2 species of Spotted Bass; the smaller is Northern or Kentucky and the larger is Southern or Alabama that grow over 10 lbs in California. Tom

We have 27 pages of jig fishing questions and answers top of this forum enjoy reading. Snagging jigs in brush usually results by using a jig not designed for brush or too heavy weight. As you correctly identified a weed guard doesn’t prevent snagging it does protect the hook point hooking weeds or stuff like brush when properly finessed through by you. Strike King Hack Attack FC jig has all the features a good brush jig needs; hook eye located at the modified bullet head, short compact design, strong sharp hook, spring soft plastic trailer attachment. Suggest using a 3/8 oz size. Do not yank on the jig to free it just gently jiggle free using the rod tip to lift the jig up and over snags. Seiberts brush jig works and is a stand up design takes a little more skill, a 1/4 oz to start with. Soft plastic trailers either SK Rage tails or Yamamoto twin tail 4” for 1/4 oz, 4” or 5” for 3/8 oz. No need to modify the fiber weed guard. Tom

The bigger female LMB that spawned earlier are recovering post spawn and the males may still be guarding the fry. It comes down to timing if LMB want to chase down faster moving lures. I would start out with Senko 5” weightless wacky rigged along deeper weed edges about 8’ deep, easy meal. Tom

Fins Spin 5 in 10# / .004D & 15# / .006D Tom

Remember bass don’t give a sh@t what it looks like they care what it moves like! Tom

Using cologne eliminates you as a bass angler unless it’s 100% pure anise oil😎 Tom

To get the wiggles out use a faster moving lure like jerk baits, deep diving crank baits and dog walking top water. When you come to areas that look good or you meter fish near the bottom put down the bait casting and get out medium finesse spinning rigged with 3.8 Kietech fat on a 1/4 oz ball head jig. You can cast this a long distance and swim it or jig it back. Using spinning reels you need to slow down because the IPT is faster then casting reels. The change in outfits usually automatically slows you down, yet you are still covering water. Catch a bass and you will slow some more. Tom

When I started to use a bait casting reel in the 50’s the only line used was Ashaway Dacron in black or camo (black, brown & green). We didn’t use a leader because mono line wasn’t common until the late 50’s. Ashaway came out with Diamond Back line a blend of mono and Dacron until monofilament line became popular for spinning reels. Abu Ambassador 500 was introduced and could cast mono line, Dacron braid era was over for bass anglers. Spectra super braid came out on the 80’s and Spider Wire line because it was black where Spectra was white. Today we have everything from mono, copoly, FC , FC/hybrid in as many colors as want. Tom ps, my Langley Target had pink silk line, too expensive for me so changed to Dacron that didn’t to be dried.