WRB-2.0

First Fish Finder is a misnomer they don’t find fish unless you have FFS-Live Target. What you can expect for $300 is a 2D Sonar unit that displays surface to bottom depth and any object with internal air (fish bladder) plus GPS lake map showing you location on the water. 2D sonar displays what you have passed over so it’s like looking in the rear view mirror. Suggest going to Bass Pro Shop near you and touch and feel the units. Tom

I am not a fan of braid with leader this is one exception. The floating braid is an ideal strike indicator using a weightless wacky Senko free falling. Watch the braid closely for visual line movements that indicate the Senko has moved reel the slack in and set the hook. Tom

Get Smooth Drags for your reel no more sticking drags disk. The max force a Medium power spinning rod can withstand fully loaded is 4 lbs, ML is 3 lbs. 1 pint plastic drinking water bottle weighs 1 pound. Put 3 bottles in a plastic grocery bag, attach your line to the bag handles and lift rod carefully (don’t high stick it) and adjust your drag until it starts to slip that is 3 pounds of drag force, maximum your rod can lift, don’t recommend 4 lbs for spinning rods. Tom

Why is a 1000 size spinning too small for bass fishing? I bought my son a Stradic 1000 spinning reel and Don Iovino signature split shot Phoenix rod when he was 10 years old. Over 25 year period he caught hundreds of bass and a 26 lb channel catfish on this combo. I still use his rod and reel occasionally and it’s works perfectly. Tom PS, 5 lb UG mono line, no braid.

I use polarized dark grey for my everyday sunglasses when outdoors. What is important to me is light weight shatter proof glass prescription . Glass because I am prone to dropping them and glass doesn’t scratch easily as polycarbonate. Easier to clean. I have a pair of dark amber Maui Jim’s off the shelf for over cast days when sight fishing because the amber helps to see green better underwater. You mis too much in the water fishing without polarized sunglasses, feel blind without them,

Shimano Vanford 2500 is very quite retrieve and smooth drag light weight reel. If you have large hands the stem is a bit short. The Stradic would be my 2nd choice. Tom

Definitely a northern lure selection with ice fishing decoys. If the duck and black bird are wooden I check those as antique lures. The bone color Musky Jitter Bug if wooden or any other wooden lures have collector value. Loaned my collector lure books so can’t look them up. Tom

Compare the line by diameter. Yo-Zuri is a large diameter per lb test line about 25% larger then Sniper FC. Daiwa J- Samuari FC is good, Tom

Need to check your decimals! Tom

Quantum was owned by Zebco, Lew’s never a manufacturing company always out sourced their products. Hard to know today who manufactures what both Daiwa and Shimano out source parts some reels. Tom

Neko is a nail weight just use a nail. O-ring are cheap and help save the Senko. Tom

Fire Tiger inline spinner, Blue Fox #3 or Panther Martin 1/4 oz. This will catch both smallmouth or trout. Tom

Agree on the memory the abrasion resistance is debatable, price BG wins! Tom

TW has Senko’s 30% sale now. Owner Wacky Jungle shook size 1 and use a O-ring. The Senko with a 1/16 iz Neckp nose weight works in current. I want you to catch bass in lieu of fishing for them! Tom

Since Sunline Deifer Armilo is no longer available Maxima Ultra Green is a close 2nd, little more memory but very strong and abrasion resistant of equal diameter, Very low viability however. 5# is .008D 8# is .010D 10# is .012D Tom

You are already on overload. I would avoid the brackish water as fresh water bass are marginal population the further toward the coast you fish. The quarry lake, if it has a bass population, is a good place to start. My suggestion is use what you have starting with the green pumpkin Senko 5” snd wacky rig size 1 weedless wacky hook with no weight. Try Spike It chartreuse dye the 1/2” of the tail end. Don”t be too concerned about the aquatic growth, look for holes or edges. Stay with this 1 lure everywhere you fish for a month. Tom

I use too many different colors of soft plastic it’s unlimited choices. Remember when bubble gum pink hit the markets no bass would eat that….wrong! Tom

You will not see water coming out the exhaust pipe until the engine has warmed up enough to open the thermostats cooling the engine. The pee hole is simply an indicator the water pump is working. A pressure gage in 10-15 psi is far more reliable. If the pee hole is clogged clear the clogg. Spiders and other insects often plug small orifaces like engine pee holes. If you don’t have a water pump pressure gage install one. Water pump impeller are rubber and wear or take a set it needs to be replaced. Tom Listen to Way2Slow ( Keith) is an expert on OMC OB engines.

Around 58 degrees (cooler then LMB ) and look for gravel areas mixed with sand. Tom

Tackle management system like Easy View or T&H Tackle Titan. Tuperware type storage container for compound cutter, needle nose and std pliers, knife, scissors, flat & Phillips screw driver, misc tools and spare sunglasses to keep them handy and dry. Key floats, spare drain plug, towels and TP. It takes awhile to gather the odds and ends . Dry bag for spare warm cloths and rain parka. Running lights, I kept all the above in the boat all the time. Enjoy! Tom

This the 1st pre spawn I have missed in decades. The weather has been cold and windy this year but imagine the fishing is good. Thinking about buying a boat so I don’t have to wait to be invited to back seat. When I look in the mirror that old man looking back reminds me why I sold the boat. Still have the fire in my belly but the rest of me knows better. I hate getting old, Tom

Probably big shore birds or animals not bass if the claws are on the bank. ”Jig time” Tom

Bass can’t read and human calendar means nothing, it’s all about warming water temps between 60-67 degrees for LMB to spawn, April here is usually post spawn, this cold year the bass are starting to spawn.. Tom

Contact Mike @ DVL he is a site sponsor. Cleaning and tunning reels usually runs about $35 each reel plus any parts as a ball park. Tom

I would change the drags to Smooth Drags and have your reels professionally serviced by DVL, Tom