WRB-2.0

List a comparative rod weight if physical weight is your baseline. Tom

Lake lice are rampant in our local SoCal lakes, jet ski, wake boats with boom boxes and a few hundred 200+hp boats running around producing lots of white noise. Now the weather is changing, the lake lice are thinning out add some rain and it’s quite time. I grew up reading Jason Lucas who advocated being quite so that has been goal. The reason I make long casts is to stay off the bass during day time and it’s out good over the years. Not stocking cat quite but trying not to alarm the bass. Good article👍 Tom

Personally I like swimbait rods between 7’10” to 8” with handle measured from the back of reel seat to the butt about 14” or just beyond my elbow. Too short a handle you lose leverage 2 handed casting, too long the rod butt gets caught in your cloths. I am old school when using baitcasting reels and hold the rod by the fore grip with 2 to 3 fingers, index and thumb on the line during the lure retrieve. The longer rod butt resting against my forearm, this give me leverage hook setting and helps balancing the rod when using it for hours. IROD swimbait rods tend to have the right handle length for my preference. Tom

I don’t know why anyone has a loyalty to B.A.S.S. I can see why bass anglers feel a part of the organization since it’s the original but it’s not the same, it’s been sold 3 times with different people running it. B.A.S.S. made it very expensive for Elite pros to compete and the reason why both FLW and MLF were able to offer a better venue for the anglers. I am the oldest B.A.S.S. Life member on this site dates to 1968. I don’t have any loyalty to B.A.S.S. and enjoy watching other venues and following individual pro careers. Today David Fritz announced his retirement and as these older pro’s age out young guns will fill the place. No reason for any animosity toward the pro anglers or the organizations. I would good for the sport to organize Senior tour with limited events. Tom

If you want to become a better jig or worm bottom contact angler night bass fishing will teach you to rely on feeling line movements. In the dark you must focus on what the lure is doing, same as day but you can’t rely on seeing line movements. Some night anglers use black lights and fluorescent line because they haven’t learned the valuable lesson of feel to detect strikes a skill that improves your day light strike detection. The lesson is organization and keeping everything simple. More then 2 rods on the deck is rolling the dice that a broken rod or tripping over a rod will happen. Listen to your environment and be aware of your surrounds, night bass fishing is peaceful, enjoy it! Tom

You can buy bulk direct from most companies. Tom

Difference between rain and storm is wind with lightning. Tom

Screamer soft plastic worm cut to 3 1/2”. Tom PS, Flutter Craft custom baits, Lefty’s Puff Ball jigs.

You find a line that fits your needs why change, unless it’s discontinued🤬 Sunline Armilo fits my needs, the price keeps going up and no bulk spools….snd 11 lb : .0108D smallest size. I use Maxima 5 lb. 008D for my finesse spinning, strong manageable but the price keeps going up. Good luck with your search. Tom

6 lb test with “average” diameter of .010D, no wonder it’s gone! So what is the smallest diameter vs largest diameter....it’s only as strong as the weakest diameter! Tom

You fish from a kayak and should learn to be comfortable in the water and learn to swim. If you have a YMCA near by they offer free swimming lessons, takes about a week. Tom

My father in law had the 1st gasohol station in MN before it was called ethanol. I have no idea what the % of corn alcohol was blended back then but he never had any customer complaint other than clogged filters common with rural gas stations. California jumped head and shoulders into the E Fuel era with 10% ethanol labeling all 87 octane gasoline (regular) with decals stating this fuel may have 10% ethanol. The 89 octane followed and 85 E fuel was 15% ethanol. To this day the 91+ octane gasoline doesn’t have ethanol. The pumps are labeled but ethanol blended gasoline in California isn’t available most of the year, maybe 6 months if that. The rubber that is degraded by alcohol is butyl and nitrile, silicone and neoprene used in most gasoline applications isn’t degraded. The issue is what was used in your engine? I always ran 91+ octane gasoline with zero issues in all my engines. Tom

Back in the day ripping a Rapala balsa minnow followed by Smithwick Suspending Rogue was the fore runner of jerk baits. Storm suspend dots were made for Rogues. Then the Japanese invaded us with Daiwa TD minnow, lights out better then our domestic rip baits. Lucky Craft followed with the “Pointer” and the tried and true Rapala’s, Bomber Long A’s and Rogues were put away for lures that cost 3X more. The term “sticky hooks” became associated with Japanese Jerk baits. Today you look on TW and 2 categories of jerk baits are listed, shallow and deep with dozens of choices. The pre Japanese rip baits caught bass and still do, the newer lures have improved hooks but it’s still up to the angers to add action needed to catch bass and money doesn’t buy skill. Tom

Zip ‘n Ziggy & Tiny Torpedo top water Reaper on a Slip shot rig Lefty’s Finesse Puff Ball jig w/Sreamer trail Tom

Every night bass angler has their methods to help them see in the dark. Bottom line is your eye pupil is wide open and that limits your ability to judge distance. Adding light helps but limits your ability to see anything beyond the light, very dangerous when operating a boat. If you start fishing before darkness your eye will adjust naturally and your night vision improves, but still can’t judge distance. What I do is stay a known distance from the shoreline and make 45 degree angle casts to where I believe the target area near shore is. Tree limbs etc are a problem and mistakes are inevitable. For this reason I only use treble hook lures until dusk then change to single weedless lures like jigs and soft plastics when it’s dark. If fishing in areas without snags like off shore structure or dam faces etc then treble hook lures are OK. Tom .

Suggest IROD Gen 3 IRG754F Fred’s Magic stick rated 1/2-2 oz lures, $150. This rod will cast 3/8 oz jigs and 1 1/2 oz deep diving crank baits and swimbaits 2 1/4 oz. The Tanx 300 is a good choice imo. Tom

Send your reel to DVL who has the needed tools, parts and know how. Tom

Each State has their own specific regulations regarding fishing. California allows night fishing but very few public lakes in SoCal are open to boating after dusk. During the summer months we have a few night fishing events. The OP needs to research the Washington State regulations for operating a boat at night, lights etc and which public waterways are open for night boating or fishing. The BR site has numerous night bass fishing threads to read, search “night fishing”! Tom

You better step back and add up your cost that includes taxes and shipping, your time isn’t free. Hobbies like this can be costly. Total up your cost and multiply by 1.75 for a selling price. I checked around at Barlow’s for blank blade bodies and they didn’t with lead attached. Tom

Nichols Hoosier blue pearl silver Indiana-silver Colorado works good in clear water received about 4’- 8’ deep. Tom

Keep your eye on the Flea Market forum for bargains. Tom

Structure spoons popularity comes and goes like a yo yo. Flutter spoons were the rage a few years ago and now the heavier designs seem to be back. Gone are Bomber Slab, Mr Champ, Megabait, Haddock coffin, etc. still around Acme Kastmaster, Little Cleo, Hopkins and Lunhr Jensen Crippled Herring plus a batch of new mfrs offering some of the proven designs. Not fan of braid for spoons as it tangles easily with tumbling hooks and same for mono-FC under .012D. 12# to 15# mono-copoly line works best for me. My all time favorite spooning rod was Loomis PR845C popping rod, soft tip to prevent treble hooks tearing out and lots of backbone power. Caught thousands of structure spoon bass over the years, largest was a 9 lb LMB in the Casitas marina while a club tournament was weighing in. As I have said before adding white or white chartreuse chicken hackle feathers helps! Basically 2 styles work good, the longer narrow design like P-Line Laser and the wider flatter deigns like Duh spoons. The longer design tumbles more while wide adds a wobble to the fall. Try both. Tom

Garmin TM, then Garmin electronics makes life easier to net work and customer service support. I always ran Lowrance but they are a different company today. If you are using in salt water research that, corrosion is a electronic killer. Tom

Feel the tick, count to 10, reel down and cross their eyes! Tom👍

Young talent that should put fear in the elite field and will win several Elite tournaments in the future. Tom