WRB-2.0

Numbers of big bass.

Happens when the hook point goes into the brain through the roof of the mouth. Tom

Try 1/8 oz dart head jig with 4" to 5" finesse worms w/ curl tails or 3/16 oz fish head jig with 3" to 4" kick tail minnow. You can dead stick these at the depth the bass are holding. Tom

22nd Century Triple Trout 7" = 2.8 ozHuddleston 68, ROF 12 = 2.1 oz S-Waver, 6.75" = 1.6 oz Black Dog G2 Shell cracker = 1.5 oz Shell cracker, sinking = 2.8 oz Lunker Punker 6"= 2.8 oz. The 8" Hudd ROF 12 = 4.8 oz, heavier than your target goal. Tom.

I believe the after bay is mostly stripers on heavy white chartreuse hair jigs, cast into current seams. Tom

Sonar unit.

LMB in the summer in reservoirs and natural lakes. Most natural lakes have near shore prey, meaning baitfish that live near shore and in cover. Most reservoirs south of the Mason-Dixon Line or snow belt have both near shore and pelagic baitfish, pelagic meaning fish that spend most of the time away from shore. During the summer period bass have lots of choices for prey types; baitfish that also include young of the year bass, crappie, bluegill, cat fish, carp, perch, trout, plus a wide variety of minnows, chubs, shad and smelt. Terrestrial critters like frogs, big insects, small birds, mice, rats, lizards, snakes, worms. Crustaceans like crabs and crayfish. Bass that live in natural lakes usually stay near shore where their prey source is abundant. Bass that live in deep structured impoundments also stay near their most predominate prey source and that can vary depending if pelagic fish like threadfin shad are present in large amounts. Threadfin shad are the most common shad bass prefer to eat and tend to stay in cover during low light periods and move off shore during day light periods to feed on phytoplankton. A portion of the bass population follow the pelagic shad off shore and than back to shore. Feeding behavior, bass tend to group up to feed on schooled baitfish because a single bass isn't effective in herding schooled fish. Single bass tend to feed on single prey types found near shore. The term migration as coined by Buck Perry doesn't correctly define what bass are doing when traveling to relocate or take advantage of abundant prey sources. The bass are simply moving from the family room to the dinning room or going to the corner cafe to eat. Tom

Spinning reel and rods are different from bait casting reels and rods regarding reel drags and rod action/power. Medium heavy power rating is using a rating for the rod type; medium heavy crank bait rod for example differs from a medium heavy jig/worm rod. The medium spinning rod maybe too flexible for good hook setting with Flukes, even with braid using a spinning reel. Set your drag about 3 lbs and use the medium heavy (3 power spinning rod) and you should be OK. Tom

Your weight is on the braid, don't worry about a split or split shots weakening it. 1/16 oz bullet weight, try 1/8 oz. Why not buy a bag of mojo weights? Tom

Asprin doesn't help muscle pain, try Advil! You may have slighly injurded your rotator cuff tendon. Cast as far as you need to get strikes, bass shouldn't be wary of your low profile, quite kayak. The majority of bottom bumping lure type strikes usually occur within a few feet after the lure hits bottom. Top water and underwater faster moving lures, strikes can occur anywhere along the retrieve path. Tom

If the line is the same diameter (0.011 for example) the difference in actual diving depth between premium mono and FC is minimal, a few inches, with equal length cast, same lure and retrieve speed.Tom

TT is doing a new series of line testing currently. The difference in yield strength between FC and premium mono isn't that much, both stretch under similar loads. The difference being FC stretches and stays stretched! The big factor fishing heavy cover is tensile strength and abrasion resistance fishing cover like vegetation and wood, abrasion from hard rocks isn't a factor when flipping or pitching, unless you are fishing rip rap. Take a look at TT's initial data for FPI, Fluoro performance index. If you are using 50-65 lb braid you can't put enough force to stretch it and it doesn't stretch more than 3% with 25+ lbs force. So you should be using 25+ lb FC, the yield strength should be high enough where they stretch is minimal with 8 lbs of force, about the limit of your rod. Tom

Can you be a little more specific as to what bass you are interested in; northern or Florida largemouth bass. smallmouth or spotted bass? Reservoirs ,natural lakes or rivers? Bass are very adaptive fish to their ecosystem and prey sources. If you want tracking studies to determine behavior the study is usually confined to one type of bass. Tom

I use a custom 6'10" 5+ power casting rod for casting jigs in deep structured lakes. How far do you plan to cast, over 40 yds? Using 10-14 lb FC line is good with this presentation. My technique differs from most anglers as I use my reel when moving the jig most of the time, use the rod to work through boulders or over brush. Also use the reel set and rod sweep hook set. My average cast is between 30-40 yards, up to 50 yards. The longer rods work good, no reason for 7'6" unless that helps you, actually slows down the hook set. Dobyn's 734 is popular for this presentation. Tom

So you think the OP should buy a swimbait and rod/reel so he can see a bass? He is better off catching them, using high % lures like jigs and larger worms. Small bass may strike a big worm, but 3-4 lbs bass are far more likely to eat the jig or worm fished in deeper water or at night. Tom

The summer period gives bass a lot of options for prey types, bass eat and rest the same as they do any other period, except the spawn. You fish from a small boat that can go nearly anywhere you can paddle to. No electronics to determine water depth? A simple depth meter will help you to locate where the bottom gets deeper quickly, we call the transition a break, summer bass like to be near breaks. Another type of break are weed lines or edges, bass also like to be near weed line breaks. Soil breaks or where different types of soil or clay, rocks, sand and gravel come together are areas bass like to locate. Cover or stuff floating on the surface like weed mats, docks, anchored boats and buoys, trees over hanging the bank where you see breaks are places bass tend to stay. Use your eyes, ears, and common sense and you will find summer bass. Without knowing what type of tackle you have and presentations you are comfortable with it's difficult to suggest what lures to use. Tom

You are right, the OP should should buy whatever he likes, long day.Tom

You are wrong; 4 power = jig/worm rod. Keep in mind there isn't ANY standards with rod power ratings. If I say power ratings are 2 = medium light, 3= medium, 4 = medium heavy, 5 = heavy, does that make you feel better? No builder make their rods the same.Tom

What is the water temperature ? Mm had a cold spring and maybe your bass are still per spawn in deeper water. Tom

Call Gary Dobyns and ask him. I would suggest a 734.Tom

Your MH rod should be OK casting 1/4 oz bullet weight /hook and plastic worm. Your reel needs to be adjusted so the weight pulls line off the reel spool when the reel is in free spool. You make this adjustment with the reel end cap knob. Should be a instructional video on this forum to watch. Reel the weight to about 12" below the rod tip, depress the spool release, take your thumb off the spool and the weight with worm and hook should drop to the ground with a slight spool resistance, hit the ground on it's own gravity, the spool should stop turning. With this adjustment you should be able to cast 30 yards or 90 feet with practice. Tom

There is the thermocline and what is called the life zone, the depth baitfish and predator fish are located. Predators near structure are a lot more catchable then suspended (inactive) fish off structure. If you are determined the life zone is16' fish near that depth where bass are known to feed. We make a lot of effort to determine where active bass maybe located, when you find the right depth, fish there! Tom

Digital scales are only as accurate as the batteries used. I use Jennings Ultra Sport 30 (66 lbs) accurate within .01 lbs.,cost about $23. Scale includes a tape measure, can be certified by weights & measures. Tom

Rods that rate power in words like medium-heavy or heavy all very greatly on how the rod is used for specific applications. The action moderate, fast, extra fast relate to how the rod bends from the tip down about 1/2 the length of the rod. Trying to compare one brand from another is frustrating at best without being able to touch and feel the rod. A very popular rod for casting jigs is Dobyn's 735 jig/worm rod. 73 = 7'3" the 5 = power, very good rod for your application. Tom

I use the perfection loop knot for salt water live bait hooks, very strong knot. Tie my fresh water bass lures, including top water dog walking lures using San Diego clinch knot. Tom