WRB-2.0

The OP is fishing Eufaula a big Alabama Hill Land lake with a lot of off shore good fishable structure. It’s a very long time since I fished Eufaula but every creek arm has good areas and the lower lake you can’t go wrong with lots of long underwater points. I understand Eufaula has lots hydrilla today but the structure doesn’t change. Big lakes pick an area and learn it, now my choice was the lower 3rd of even smaller area near within a few miles of the dam. Big lakes turn over slowly and if they are pulling water down multiple thermoclines can develop, meter the bait depth that’s is the life zone and target that depth. Tom

By chop technique do you mean a downward rod tip snap? If that is a chop then yes that is how you make the lure turn hard to one side. Tom

To Based on the anglers fingers I estimate this bass is 21” with 17”* girth = 6.24 lbs. Tom *80% girth of length.

My 1st choice is a black hair jig. Dale Hallow Tackle Punisher Hair jig ( $.270 w/ Gamakatsu hook) 3/16 or 1/4 oz Black or black-purple for cold water. Trailer suggest Berkeley Maxscent Lil Super Trooper (2 1/2”) black. Tom

What was the length and girth? Use your line cut to length and a 2nd cut to girth the use this Length x Length x girth divide by 1200 = weight in pounds. Without knowing length we all use our best wag. Tom

Miami River in Ohio? Do you fish from a boat? Or Shore angler? If the baitfish are Shad which I doubt if the water freezes, then Shad size structure spoon and tail spins work using a boat. Cold water equals black jigs with blue trailers. The old suspending Rogue with jerk, jerk long pause jerk, jerk has caught a lot of cold water bass in blue back chrome. Tom

Dee Thomas fished out of a 15’ aluminum boat on the Delta Nd local California lake for several years. Dee burrowed a boat to fish a few B.A.S.S. events in the 70’s. Hall of Fame bass angler so yes it can be done. Winning is up to the anglers skill not the size of the boat. Tom

The original bait casting reels made in America were good and easy to tune. The only issue with them was they were heavy reels. I try not to buy from China. Tom

If you haven’t read this article you should, very well written good article👍 Tom PS, the hair jig shown is close to my Frits colors for Smallmouth.

Sent

Put the rod in the Flea Market. Tom

The Flat Fish is a trolling lure that doesn’t cast worth a darn. Lots of bass “plugs” fall into this category like Bomber Waterdog and Whooper Stopper Hellbender , Rebel Spoonbill plugs, etc. I just order some obsolete soft plastics because they catch bass today; Reapers and Screamers. Tom

I will be in but only as a sender nor a receiver. Tom

Whatever you decide on think about getting a tutorial on the model you purchase. No need to waste money on a unit you can’t interpret. It’s been my experience visiting these forums that about 90% of the new sonar users don’t know how to interpret what the see on the screen and only use the unit to it’s factory set default settings. You need to study and use what buy to it’s full potential and that is manual settings. Tom

Define “slingshot” casting? Tom

The new reel should be ready to use out of the box. It isn’t common for a new reel not to be lubricated. Easy to add a drop of reel oil on the spool ends before spooling on line. Read the instructions package with the reel. Take off the spool tension knob on the outside side plate and add the single drop of oil and put the cap back on.. Open the side plate and slide out the spool and add a of oil on the spool shaft ends, reassemble. Spool up the line and test the reel by casting. Enjoy your new reel. Tom

Most Japanese reels have JIS screws that look like Phipps but deeper. If your reel had JIS and you used a Phillips it will cam out and strip the recess. Tom

Imo a flat without some structure like rocks or stumps or deeper channel creating an edge isn’t off shore structure fishing. Lake Eufaula as I recall has good off shore structure up towards the dam on the left side where points extend nearly 2/3rd across the lake towards the right side and drop into a deep main lake channel. The several underwater points have deeper water on both sides, ideal off shore structure to learn. To answer your question you want deeper water with structure that intercepts the depth of the bait fish. Tom

Bob Crupi was a cop so deserves credit for being a public servant. Crupi was a live bait angler so that tarnished his reputation because he was accused for creating by jealous bass anglers claiming falsely he was using live trout. Any time I watched Crupi fish he was anchored up and flat lining live crawdads and I am sure that is how he caught his giants. Bob Crupi was a quite man never talked much and kept to himself so I never really knew him. RIP Crupi. Tom

Match the hatch applies to trout fly fisherman more then bass anglers imo. When bass are focused on live Shad, especially during the spring Shad spawn, few if any lures will be effective unless the lure tricks a strike from what the bass is looking for...a live Shad. Catch and fly line a live Shad on light line and small hook it’s instant bite. Fall Shad schools are a different situation and you can get strikes on Shad profile and color lures especially spoons falling through the Shad schools. Bass jigs sort of look like a crawdad, not a match but something the see’s as prey. The perfect crawdad match is less effective then a real live crawdad. I try to use lures coloration the bass can see and mistake for the real thing in lieu trying to use real like fakes because that imo is impossible. Tom

If the Shad are balled up a structure spoon or tail sin is my 1st choice. Tom

I use 12 Tatsu or Shooter FC for casting jigs but…would go to 16 lb Shooter for TB do to the cover. A must with FC line is Tangle Free and/or KVD line conditioner for trouble free casting. The SanDiego ham knot is easy to tie using the jigs weight. 22 lb :.015D Sunline Defier Armilo would my 1st choice for heavier cover 100+% knot strength and very good abrasion resistance. Tom

Looks good👍 Tom

If you use .008-.009 diameter FC and TangleFree or KVD or both the line should behave OK. Spinning reels twist line so you need to untwist it at the end of the outing by running the line behind the boat without anything tied on. I used 7 lb Sniper for years on a Stradic 1000 reel. Tom

As far as I can tell the 7’6” is 4.5 oz, may feel light but that about average for today. Tom