WRB-2.0

According to the Smallmouth anglers Marabou 1/16 to 1/8 oz jigs are the hot ticket. The Northern anglers call these feather jigs hair...but we know Marabou is feathers. Tom

Hmmmm...then cast 5’ to one side of the front seater, is that illegal when the front seater can cast back over your end of the boat? Tom

The 5” Senko is 3/8 oz and cast fairly good except it’s made of heavy salt soft plastic that tears easily. A rod that can cast live bait a good distance is more appropriate and why the 2 power longer rod is ideal. If the OP isn’t concerned with longer casting the 842 would be good OTC. Tom

None of the above will cast the weights listed any further then each other or....Shimano SLX MGL @less then 1/2 the price. You should focus on the rod! Tom

If don’t 1st succeed try again. Tom

with your budget I would have a custom rod made, that equals NRX+ 902C. The longer 7’5” rod will cast the 5” Senko longer distance and allow you to control larger bass around the boat. Tom

csr@daiwa.com Tom

Ask to join the boater front! Tom

What line and lures to you plan to use? Tom

B.A.S.S. Elite tournament this week settles this issue with the winning Smallmouth Bass weight 105+lbs, with 2nd to 4th all over 100lbs. Tom

For example SC Mojo Inshore spinning rods, go by lure weight/ line size; MF=HF fresh water. Tom

I grew up loosening drags it’s habit today. The older drag disk and cup washers took a set with a week creating a high start up force. Just loosening the drag and give the line a pull to check smoothness before re setting the drag force. Tom

Every fastener in a fresh water boat will corrode in salt water. This means every fastener, nut, bolt, screw, washer must be changed to 316 Stainless Steel, 304 SST is OK. Sealing or coating only works if no moisture get in, 5% salt salt water corrodes dissimilar metals. Aluminum is sacrificial and needs to have fresh air to keep it dry or coated with alodine primer under the paint. Better off buying a boat and trailer made for salt water then trying to convert a fresh water boat imo. 3M 5200 is a good sealant for fasteners. Dialectic grease for electrical terminal connections. All the electrical terminals, switches need to be protected and dry. Lots of maintenance with salt water boats. Tom

Roman Made Mother lures $125 would be a down payment? Tom

Depending on your casting skill and wind you can set it with zero brakes on. 1 brake isn't going to cause out of balance spool spinning, the bearings are too close tolerance. Tom

The Aaron nose hook was for Weedless applications to cover the hook point. The problem with this rig is getting a solid hook set requires a firmer rod lift to drive the barb past the hook point covered with plastic. Nose hooked I prefer exposed soft plastic hook point. Weedless drop shot soft plastic my preferred hook is Owner 5133 Down Shot hook T-rigged. Tom

Aaron Martens, Jay Yelps and Gary Klein moved from California to the heartland and became household names along with Hall of Fame bass anglers. Ish Monroe didn't relocate and overcame a lot of doubters, it can be done but it’s not easy. I believe the Japanese’s anglers have less prejudices to overcome today then the early anglers, their tackle is revered and people are a lot more open minded. KVD an outsider from the North simply over powered everyone with his skills and personality. Everyone loves Ray Scott but the truth be known he wasn’t supportive of bass anglers outside the heartland states. Tom Mann on the other hand was a pioneer and everyone’s champion. Tom

I considered becoming a B.A.S.S. Tournament fisherman in 1968 and learned quickly back then it was a good ole boy sport where outsiders from the west were handicapped. My hat is off to the few western pro’s who made a living relocating to the heartland a very difficult choice. My engineering career was very rewarding. Tom

Bluegill like fresh water Black Bass are Sunfish family and warm water fish. If you could control the water temp 75 degrees is ideal. The temp range is somewhere between 39 to 90 degrees because within that range dissolved oxygen stays between 3 to 12 mg/L, higher starters to over oxygenate the brain, lower starves the brain both can be fatal. When the water freezes it’s 32 degrees and starts supersaturation DO @ 39.4 degrees, getting lighter density floating up towards the surface until the water freezes. Long story shorten when summer warm water surface cools it gets heavier and sinks. When the top layer water out weighs the lower layer the thermocline stats to break up and the lake turns over. Easy to see and smell a turnover with chunks of decaying meter floating up to the surface. The transition from summer to fall is complete when this happens. Shorter days and colder nights continue until it winter or the cold water period. Where are bass? The column is homogenous temper so bass can be shallow, deep or in between but always near the food chain. Sonar is your friend to locate both bass and bait fish. Crawdads tend to burrow around 58-55 degrees, look for clay banks around 8’ to 10’ deep. Tom

St Croix has introduced a 6’8” MXF that should work well, haven’t held or fished it yet. I do like the Victory spinning rod handle design and overall quality. Tom

The VTS73MXF rod has a flexible tip that may be reducing some strike feed back by feel but increases visual feedback. My problem with Shimano Expride Rods is the tip is too stiff and made in China. Good luck with your search. Tom

A Healthy ecosystem produces quality fish. Tom

Didn’t think Dudley owned a casting rod? Tom

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, take the upgrade. Tom

Spiders do the same thing plugging up tiny orifices. The spider or wasp sticks something they want to save in the hole then cover it so ants can’t get it. The result is the hole is plugged! Clean out the Pee hole then clean area with alcohol and put piece of blue tape over it. The pee hole is just a visual indicator the water pump is working. Tom