WRB-2.0

Look at the Flea Market forum pages 2 and deeper, several right hand bait casting reels listed under $50 shipped! Tom

The Victory rod with noodle tip is 6’10” MLXF, too soft to hook set a crappie imo. Tom

It’s easy to get over your head in tackle because trying something new is a big part of bass fishing. The problem is complicated when you don’t sell off the tackle no longer being used. Kids, I started off with special rods and reel he could use effectively then let him used my tackle as his skills improved. Doubling up on popular tackle adds up fast! When I had a boat (most of my life) my rods and reels were; 3 each casting jig & worm combos, all the same length and action. 1 rig for T-rigged bullet wt/bead and 2 for jigs. 3 each casting crank bait rods, 1 for medium divers and 2 for deep divers. Same reel and line with a snap. 2 each casting top water rods, 1 7’ MH general use and 6’8” for jerk, poppers and dog walking. 2 casting swimbait 7’10” MH and 8’ XH, same reels and line. 1 casting rod for Spoons and misc lures, same reels as crank baits. 4 Spinning Finesse combo’s, same reels, 2 with Copoly & 2 with FC. 15 combos 90% of the time. If going to the Delta of Clear lake added frog and braid line casting 7’5” rod. I use rod sleeves and terry bath towels to cushion the reels because my rod locker was open, no rod tubes. Rarely had more then 6 combos on the deck, 2 in the back and 4 up front. Kept my lures organized In labeled Plano boxes and clips that held hanging soft plastic bags, soft bags and custom swimbait boxes. Basically a floating tackle shop. Today I have 2 casting combos, 1 jig & worm custom MH+F and 1 MF, 2 different reels. 3 spinning, 1 w/FC, 1 with braid/copoly and 1 with copoly. Tom

Depends on the OB hp, but a 9 would have enough power to move the boat forward, a 5 1/2 would get you back to shore. Tom

I Sounds like the guys OB wouldn’t start or would have returned to sheltered water. You can easily drain a swamped boat is the OB is working...just pull the drain while underway, insert the plug when the hull is empty of water. Mistakes by a unskilled boater can be deadly, he was lucky. Tom

It’s a spring with a thermocline at 18’ Tom

Thank you for explaining how to use the newer soft plastic rigs? The Hoover jig is very similar to a dart head that still works! Tom

Lots of advice some good some mostly repeating other folks thoughts. Choosing the lake with active big bass populations requires lots of research because the trophy bass anglers know that loose lips sinks ships. There are secrets but the guys who consistently catch DD bass are grinders willing to put in the time where the big bass are located. When my small 2,000 acre local lakes were in their prime the fishing pressure was off the charts do to the $ million $ reward for a record bass. Boats from all over the country were on those lakes every day. Yet only a hand full of dedicated anglers caught giant bass. I was using long forgotten hair jigs with pork rind trailers that big bass will eat. Basically I had those bass to myself and spent sun up to sun down every hour the lakes were open to the public as often as I could. The Delta is massive and you can fish a week without seeing another bass boat in some areas, it’s not pressures like most bass lakes. Clear lake is a very old natural lake about 35 miles long and 8 miles wide, no trout. The only way to reduce the area to fish is get lucky or hire a good guide. After that get dedicated and grind it out. Tom

Small open water pockets with shallow depth is crying out for a Weedless spoon like 1/2 oz Johnson Silver Minnow. Sharpen the hook! 4” Zoom chartuese spinnerbait soft plastics straight split tail trailers work good, attach with a Hitchhicker spring on the hook bend. Hold the rod tip high to swim the spoon on the surface, the slow down and lower the rod tip to swim in the open pockets. Tom

You need to be more specific; length, power and action. What reel, line and lure weights??? Tom

You can use a hundred foot tape measure and place a bucket at 90’, 120’ and 150’ on a flat grass area in a park. Good practice skill getting close to a bucket. Tom

Try testing your reaction time with a wild bass on a bed. The bass wins every time until you learn to hook set before you see the bass react. It’s a guessing game, you watch the bass for signs it’s ready to strike because the bass is faster then your ability to react. Keep in mind you are focused on the bass and watching it. Now contemplate you can’t see the bass and only rely on line movement. Unless the bass eats your lure you miss the strike. Tom

The biggest factor threatening the Hitch is weed abatement chemicals. The residents around the lake that aren’t anglers demand the algae blooms be controlled and every year fish die offs results. The answer remove the residents? Tom

Buzzer are difficult to cast, poor aerodynamics. 3 Advil’s might help. Shimano SLX MGL 70 is a good distance reel. Tom

Casting distance has more to do with the rod and techque. My original casting reel was a knuckle buster Langley 330 Lure Cast that I could cast 50 yards (all the 10 Dacron braid) the reel held. The rod a 5 1/2’ Connolin FeatherLite in the 50’s. So how far do you want to cast? My “average” cast with 7/16 oz jig is about 40 yards, occasionally 50 yards. I practiced on a football field, known yardage. Every reel I owned over the past 65 years could cast 50 yards, I tuned them. Back to the rod, today’s jig & worm 7’ MHF is a little too stiff for ease of casting motion to achieve tip speed and loaded up the rod. If your elbow is sore from casting your wrist motion and position may be incorrect. Most angler I what casting have poor casting motion. I think this may be from learning to cast 2 handed? Your wrist should b pointed to your towards. Your ear at the top of the cast and towards your side at the end. If the wrist is point up at 12 o’clock you strain your elbow tendons. Tom

You want bling look at Yo-Zuri Mini Vibe. Tom

I see a Kencore 315, 15’ spinning surf rod on eBay. I owned this rod and it maybe ideal for you,but a little heavy weight. Tom

Take a look at Okuma Surf rods. Tom

St Croix MLMF BSF Mid. 7’1” The ideal rod is Loomis PR844C popping rod. Tom

It’s a myth big giant bass are lazy and don’t like to chase down prey fish. These big bass didn’t get big being lazy they are more successful and faster then other bass in catching prey. If you ever see a big bass chasing down a fast trout it’s amazing the speed and effort they exert to get it. Tom

Casting big swimbaits from a kayak seems to me very tiring sitting. 7” to 8” Hitch would be my choice. Clear Hitch spawning the tributaries around the lake with Kelsey and Adobe getting the attention. Hill, Cole, Manning, Robinson, Scott’s, Middle, Clover, Morrison, Schindler and Seigler are all possibilities. Just need to do your homework to decide where to spend your time. The creeks have a slough with a point nearby would be my choice. Tom

The Clear Lake and the Delta are world renowned big bass fisheries, DD’s live there in groups, not usually loners. The OP is in the right place, the right time and just needs to locate where and that isn’t easy, it could take a life time. Clear Lake John Pearl is good, the Delta ? I would talk to Gary Dobyns today. Tom

Clear lake at this time is on with 5 lb to 6 lb bass using both Chatterbaits and lipless (LV500’s). DD bass have slowed down during summer. The Delta the frog and jig bite is on with 4 lb to 5 lb bass and occasional 8lb to DD. Both are big bodies of water, the Delta is massive and tidal fishery that takes lots of time on the water learn. You want to reduce the learning curve hire a good guide. Tom

Take a look at what the bigger tournament bass are being caught on at Clear Lake and the Delta. Jigs and frogs on the Delta and Hitch swimbaits and frogs at Clear Lake. Tom

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