WRB-2.0

Signs the Spawn is about to start or has started is larger female bass cruising along the bank looking for bed sites and bed site the male bass have made. A bed site is usually a clean circular bottom spot in wind protected area with usually something nearby like a bush, log, dock post etc., in about 1’ to 5’ deep or deeper if the water clarity is good. The male bass will on or very near the bed protecting it. Tom

Pre Spawn is water temperate dependent not air temps but both are related. Pre Spawn is generally for LMB water temps between 50-58 digress at the depth the bass are located. Fight is also dependent on how big the lure is and where the bass was hooked. Pre Spawn bass are in their top physical condition vs Post Spawn when the bass are weakened from Spawning. Tom

There are very few birds that can harm a fishery, Cormorants and Pelicans with Cormorants #1. Few animals can swim and eat fish, Otters are #1. Tom

What about new companies rod?.. Tom

Bass Resource is a product of technology that we all enjoy and learn about bass fishing. Tom

Fishing in Indiana the Largemouth bass you have are Northern strain that are far more aggressive striking lures then Florida strain. When I was teaching a bass angler to fish jigs the lakes chosen had NLMB populations because strike detection is a lot easier. Spotted bass followed by Smallmouth bass are even more aggressive then NLMB but tend to strike trailers with claws by bitting the claws in lieu of engulfing the jig. With your T-rig experience you have already learned how to time your hook set. I describe my hook set technique in Horizontal Jigging article In-Fisherman In 1995*. The reel set with firm rod sweep works good when casting a jig over 60’ or more horizontally. Can’t move enough line to load up the rod before hook setting by rod hook setting. We all learn our own hook setting techniques from experience, something the OP already has. My only advice is use jigs with premium sharp hooks and check the point often. Tom *PM your email if you want a copy.

Natural lake or man made impoundment? Natural lakes normally have more dermasel meaning shoreline vegetation bass that feed in creatures and fish that live near shore. Man made reservoirs have lots of off shore structure elements like road beds, bridges, culverts flood farms and fences etc that attract pelagic fish that bass feed on. My guess is you have a natural lake and need to focus near shore. Most of your bass fishing will be casting to visual targets obvious to you and every other bass angler. Keep in mind it takes power to run the more higher end sonar units. Lithium batteries are expensive buy save over 50% of the weight. 2D with side scan is all you need. Tom

WI was just pondering what to use this weekend. My hair jigs and Lefty’s Puff Ball he made for me go in the bag. US Bait co Reapers and Screamers, Fish Lab Nymphs along with standby Roboworms are going. 2 jars of pork rind, purple & brown along with Berkley 3” Chigger Craws GP. Box of hard lures including LC Pointers, Custom Bomber 7A’s, a few pets, Top water Sammy & River, Twinspin, spinnerbait & buzzer, my standard hard baits. Kietech Fat Impact with Owner Flashy Swimmer. Enough to keep me busy for days outing. Will add 5” Senko’s wacky rigged in another month and that should be my 2024 tackle bag. Tom

Put the Sluggo's in boiling water. Get the water boiling, remove the pan form the heat, add your Sluggo’s let sit for 5 minutes or so. Remove the Sluggo’s and lay straight to cool. Good as new. Tom

The helgipede comes in 2 sizes, are you using the 3”? Lots of colors! Tom

Water temperatures affect “sink rate” a very subjective term. Colder water is more dense and slows the sink rate whereas warmer water in less dense increasing sink rates. Line diameter and coefficient of drag going through the water and density of the line affects how fast or slow a lure sinks. OP’s unidentified 4” jointed ”swimbait” doesn’t need line over .012 D or 12 lb test FC imo. Tom

I use Seaguar Tatsu, Sunline Shooter and Daiwa Samurai premium Fluorocarbon line, no braid unless fishing heavy cover. Tom

4” jointed swimbait you can use your crank bait outfit. Tom

I like to catch fish! It all started off on my grandma’s dock at Big Bear lake as she lived on the lake shore. My 1st fish was a Crappie caught using a1 1/2” strip of chamise dyed red with iodine and and a cane pole cork bobber. I could walk so around 2 years old. Since then my catching fish included bass, trout, bluegill and Crappie at BB lake until we move to the flat lands around age 6. Big Bear would become our summer home. I learned to catch bass in a local rock quarry pond and trout in a local stream I was old enough to back pack into the High Sierra mountain range fly fishing for Golden Trout and fishing for bass in the local reservoirs. My 1st off shore ocean trip occurred in the early 60’s to Guadalupe Island where we caught big Pacific Yellow, Yellowfin and bluefin tuna,I was hooked on big game fish. At the same time period Florida strain LMB were introduced into San Diego city lakes and they became a targeted fish for me. I caught a lot of big FLMB by being there at the beginning. My career as a aerospace engineer allowed me to travel all over North America and Western Europe and took advantage to fish everywhere. In 1973 I married my soul mate who’s parents had a home on Lake of The Woods, my father in-law had a float plane and outpost cabins on Height of Land and Arrow lakes in western Ontario. My new focus became catching muskies and lake trout, big fish. I am so blessed to have lived to fish so many different places. Tom PS, next week it’s off to Cabo San Lucas to catch marlin for a good friends bucket lists.

Welcome to BR. This site is newbie friendly especially teaching kids how to fish. We have lots of articles and videos to watch plus a search search tool located in the upper right side of forum pages. Success is the key to enjoying fishing. Welcome aboard😀 Tom

Jitter Bug has a unique gurgling blooping sound and surface crawling action no other lure has duplicated in decades. Very simple to use as you cast and retrieve without adding any action other than stop and go, the key to it’s popularity for over 75 years. Up grade the hooks. Tom

Your 7’11” rod is good for flipping and suggest you watch Gary Kline video on flipping. The 7’6” may be OK for pitching but you can pitch with the longer rod. The difference in weight will be minimal as the added length is in the light weight tip. Tom

Yes

There is a long multi page thread on jig questions that should confuse you beyond further help. You already know what a jig strike feels like because it’s the same as a weighted T-rig. The heavier the jig casting and retrieving from shore the less effective it will be because of snagging debris constantly. Do everything the same as you do with your T-rig and start with a lighter weight jig between 3/16 to 5/16 oz. Santone* Rayburn Swim Jig In River Brean is my choice for you. Site sponsor Siebert Outdoors makes excellent jigs using high quality hooks in a variety of jig types. A swim jig can be worked uphill with it’s hook eye in nose of the jig and will go through weeds/grass better then a Arkie style jig. Shimano SLX MGL 70 is on sale at ALF for $99.99, excellent reel. Rod Catt has been suggesting Daiwa Tatula MHXF 7’1” rod. Tom * currently on sale at Tackle Warehouse.

Contact Bob Lusk the pond boss for a local biologist recommendation. Tom

TW has Lew’s Spinning Speed stick on sale, full cork handle $72 shipped. Tom

Surflon Micro 7 strand tie-able leader. Tom

Small quite 2000 generator is your most reliable option. Harbor Freight offer the Predator 2000 $700 and Honda 2000 is $1000. If you have onboard chargers just plug in the generator, if not switch to DC with jumper cables and run it a few hours. Tom

Reapers use Owner 5133 size 1/0 rigged flat side up on a 1/8 oz slip shot rig. Make sure the hook is straight and the reaper doesn’t spin in the water. Simply drag the rig it’s a no brainer. Tom PS, Iovino no longer makes any soft plastics. If you need more contact US Bait co. Frank Pasalich 858/3850198

ALF is selling the SLX MGL 70 for $99.99. Good deal! My guess is the Curado MGL 70 will take it’s place at the higher price point. Tom