WRB-2.0

Big difference between a rookie and a novice. You can be highly skilled angler just starting off fishing tournaments or pro tournament and be a rookie. Tom

You should be careful buying anything being closed out at a big box store like Walmart. Reason being is shop wear or damage goods by customers then put back on the shelf. Fishing Rods people like to bang the rod tips on the floor and bend them in a circle God knows why! I would check the rod out carefully for cracked guides and rod blank stress cracks. The rod is unknown to me and I don't buy anything not knowing where it’s made. Could work out as a frog rod? Tom

I am talking about nail weight a standard hand pour or any floating with, not a Senko or other sinking stick worm. Proper rigged the nail weighed flat nose worm stands up waving with little line movement or dead sticked. Short tiny hopes or a short slide can be deadly using a nail weight wacky rigged worm. With this rig you want the hook 1 1/2” back from the worm nose. Roboworm 7” straight w/ size 1 or 6” with size 2 , 4109 and O-ring. Tom

Consider a nail weight (Neko) Wacky rig worm. I use a 3/32 oz R2S SD18 tungsten nail weight inserted into the nose of the worm after cutting 1/4 off so it’s flat. Owner #4109 size 1 Jungle Wacky Hook is surprisingly snag free. Tom

Truck bed is a lot safer, dry and more comfortable. Bass Boat would be the last option and OK but the weather is a problem, dew point gets everything wet, the anchor light draws lots of bugs and uses power.

The 1st thing I looking for is at what depth the bass and bait are active in. My friend Don Iovino calls this the life zone I call it the depth to focus on. Boaters have a big advantage determining the life zone using sonar surveying the marina area before leaving to run to your favorite area. Simply turn on the sonar unit and look around to determine at what depth the bait and bass are at. Bass live in marinas and usually can be metered. During the summer nearly every lake develops a thermocline and the life zone is nearly always within a few feet of that depth. Knowing this you can concentrate on that depth zone. Tom

Clear Lake is the largest natural lake in California, larger Lake Tahoe is a boarder higher altitude lake. Clear lake also has a native species Clear Lake Hitch and possibly endangered fish. Weed abatement at Clear Lake is closely monitored but that doesn’t mean intelligently. The lake is at full pool and the aquatic plant growth hasn’t adjusted to the higher water level. The bass is good with 4lb to 6lb LMB making up limits. Tom

Fenwick Eagle 3 piece Medium mod/Fast spinning rod, about $50 Tom

Soap and warm water, rinse and polish using aluminum foil. Tom

Owner 4109 Weedless Wacky Hook size 1, wacky rigged. rarely used a Senko Texas rigged prefer standard worms for T-rigged. Tom

You can try to feed them what you like, sometimes they only eat what they like. How do you know? Keep an open mind and try other colors, the bass know what they want. Tom

Way back in the early 70’s I made up a tri color hair jig to match the color pork trailers using at the time. I did this so changing trailers colors didn’t require tying on a different jig...lazy I guess. The pork was a more Stren box violet purple in lieu of the darker grape purple. The brown was called barn red a reddish brown and black. The back of the jig I used black hair, center was the purple and belly the brown. Close what is now called PB &J. I fished this tri color jig all over the country and Mexico catching big bass everywhere. So I named the tri color jig “Anytime Anywhere” Back in the late 70’s. I still use this jig today 50 years, it’s my all time favorite. Tom PM, email and will share a photo.

The 9” you can use 4/0 round bend straight shank Gammy or Owner hook. The 13” has a fatter head requiring 6/0 hook and prefer using the 9” to start with. The 13” at night or low light conditions. Tom

Glenn? Tom

The photo looks dated, can anyone guess when the picture was taken? 1990 to 1995 1996 to 2000 2000 to 2005 Hints; The Lowrance sonar unit The Lew’s cranking rods and reels Citrus Shad color crank baits .com shirt sleeve Tom

Check the metal tabs with a multimeter, takes about 1 second. My guess the battery is correct, wherever the end of those 2 wire connect are reversed. The OP was getting a new power cord, but should check the battery 1st! Tom

Why waste your time with the sub par Eagle, 2 junk reels are not worth your time and effort. I would return both Eagles and get another Zephyr! To,

I was mentioning your sonar unit GPS puck confusing the TM GPS if the puck is within 3’ or so. Spot Lock TM’s was a game changer and can’t imagine fishing today with it. Spot Lock allows you to be hands/foot free to re tie, find tackle etc, etc, without drifting over the horizon. I wouldn’t give up on the TM until talking to techs that know your TM. Tom

Dry mono or FC isn’t easy to cast as it tends to spring off the spool. Suggest setting the spooled line with Tangle Free* or a water spray bottle at home, improves line management tremendously. * 2 oz plastic bottle by Punisher Lures. KVD is expensive and doesn’t work well out of water. Tom

We have Threadfin Shad and few big creek arms, a few larger reservoirs have River arms like Shasta. What I watch is the thermocline starting to break up and the lakes turning over, sure sign the fall period is starting. Baitfish are not going to leave their food source and sanctuary aquatic plants (grass or weeds) unless those plants are dieting back, turning brown in lieu green. The bass stay close to the primary food source whatever that is. If the bait is up shallow then the bass will be, if deeper they will be there. Tom

I like understated and over preforming rods and reels. Tom

Don’t know what the TM issue is but sounds like it can’t find true north GPS signal. Sometimes the problem is the GPS puck location? The MG wireless foot control isn’t popular because of lag time to respond, mechanical foot control is a better option imo. The brushless TM’s are $3K and resolve a lot of those issues. Tom

I have always call that casting motion a “snap cast” very common with a spinning reel. Snap casting a bait casting reel requires good thumb control a skill needed to become proficient bait caster. Fiber glass rods are usually more moderate action and help starting up the spool slower so it doesn’t over run at the start of your casting motion. The roll or loop cast is all in the wrist with the rod remaining parallel to the water surface. Watch Hank Parker cast as he normally roll casts. Tom

2011 thread. Dobyn’s has added 2 more higher end rods series since DX. The rods under discussion are Mod fast meaning a slower tip action requiring a little more power in the hook set then the stiffer tip Fast action. Personally with drop shot less tip stiffness is preferred so the bass doesn’t reject the soft plastic and Medium 3 power does help is lift and reel hook sets using FC line. If the angler is using braid the ML 2 power makes more since to me. Tom

Try contacting The Trolling Motor Doctor 562/988.9444 in California. They maybe able to help you or know someone in your locality that repairs your TM or has a used TM in your price range. Tom