WRB-2.0

Do it, it either works for you or it doesn’t. The down side is backlashes with braid can be a problem. Tom

You should be running the heavier power wire to a switch and the smaller wire from the sonar unit to the switch. The larger wire provides less DC voltage drop over longer distance. Tom

“No electronics for me” you are a minimalist. Do you use use a boat and trolling motor, paddle or drift? I am not a traditional “ball and chain” style C-rig angler. Heavy egg shape sinkers with bead and swivel snags too often. My C-rig uses tubular mojo shape weigh, glass faceted bead, Carolina Keeper or pegged bead for a weight stopper (totally adjustable) main line and hook. Finesse C-rig I call the Slip Shot rig, lighter weight and line. I don’t like to fish blind and prefer locating bait and bass using sonar. No sonar fishing from shore I use the fan cast pattern to cover all depths to determine where to focus my casting. I suggest using mono line to help keep the soft plastic and main line from snagging as often when using FC line. Dragging a C-rig slowly behind the boat is a very good technique for back seaters. My starting length from weight to hook is about 36” adjusting from there. Floating hand poured soft plastics will increase your success. Tom

The difference between a NorthStar or Oddessy AGM and a Duracell is the case quality, corrosion proof hardware and internal construction. Fire trucks use the high end batteries for a good reason, the truck must start. Most quick deaths with batteries is a result of a broken post connection. Tom

Major Craft MS-1, both spinning and casting are under $200* and quality is far above the price point. MC Basspara is under $125 US Tom *JDM

If Major Craft still makes the Nanoace NAC-T681MSI* Splash-It 6’8” MF rod, it’s excellent at $125. Tom * MSC-T681M MS-1 series $170, BXC-69M or MH is under$120

Welcome aboard from SoCal. Johnson Silver Minnow ( sharpen the hook) is another good pad lure. Tom

Is the OB a pull start or electric start? Whenever you use 1 battery 12VDC marine it needs to to charged at the end of the outing. You should also have a 50 amp circuit breaker so you don’t fry your TM or electronics ( sonar unit). Tom

My family moved to Scottsdale AZ in 1961, finished High School and followed in the summer of ‘61, it was 112 at night when arrived, thought it was hell. AZ State was in Tempe next to the stocks yards...... The 1st safety pin spinnerbait I discovered was at Lake Roosevelt, hand made white with 2 silver willow blades, killer lure and all the Salt River chain of lakes and fished them all. The spinner bait killed the San Carlos bass and occasional 2 lb crappie....from shore! Tom

Depends on the seasonal period, where the prey is located and gut feeling. Threadfin Shad are the most common prey fish where I fish. In the cold water period the Shad are deep not much chance for bass feeding on shad on the surface. When trout are planted a few are surface swimmers and big bass will target a surface trout Lure like a Lunker Plunker. Grebes are a good source of baitfish activity, if they are working shore brush that is where the Shad are and surface lures are effective. The Shad spawn in shore cover and easy to see or hear bass feeding on them, surface lure time. I have always liked to use surface lures early and late low light times, they are fun to cast and work. Sometimes I just feel like fishing a surface lure. Tom

You are doing this to have a tandem axial trailer? Best Chance is through a Ranger dealer. Tom

Bass lips are tough cartilage with fine teeth, the hook may have momentarily stuck into the tough area and simply pulled out. Set your drag by hand as you normally do, then set with 2 lbs and you will feel the difference. Stradic has a great drag, trust it. Tom

The Victory 7’1” MF has a string tip and Inuse that rod for Senko’s more then drop shot. The Victory 7’3” MXF tip is softer and better suited for drop shots imo, plus you are using braid that loads the rod up faster. 2 lbs of drag is more then most anglers think! Simply put 2 plastic 1pint/ 16oz water bottles in a plastic grocery bag to use as a dead weight. Hook the dead weight on your rigged drop shot rod/reel/line and lift adjusting the drag to slip when the bad is off the ground. Be careful and don’t high stick! Your goal is to control the bass, don’t reel against the drag slipping, reel when it’s not. 2 lb bass cab put up a decent fight. Tom

P-Line has a few Copolymer lines; C21 and CXX. FluoroClear is a co extruded hybrid similar to Yo-Zuri Hybrid line. Both P-Line and Yo-Zuri hybrid lines are larger in diameter per lb test, so check the diameters! If you are using spinning reels with 8 lb test stay under .010 diameter. If your local shop is out of FC line, the P-Line May be old and I would avoid buying line there. Tom

Bomber Long A 6” CHO works. Tom

Nose or wacky hooked soft plastics the octopus style Gamakatsu drop shoot or Owner Mosquito size 1 with finesse size worms. The hook set should include a rod lift and reel set in that order. Weedless (Texas) skin hooked a longer shank hook like the Roboworm Rebarb Gamakatsu size 1/0 or Owner #5133 Down Shot size 1/0 or 2/0 work, same lift and reel hook set. I use both Maxima 5# UG copoly line and Sniper 7# FC. Set your drag @ 2 lbs lifting dead weight force and trust it. Tom PS, what rod and line are you using?

Not true, they die like any other lead acid battery unless over charged. Tom

Norman lures are now owned by Pradco and made in Mexico as I recall. Before wasting money changing hooks test the lures for fishing catching ability. To do this troll each lure where you know bass are located. Set aside the lures that catch a few bass, size doesn’t matter. Spend several hours trolling in lazy S pattern to weed out duds and keepers. Norman Little N’s are sensitive the rear treble hook weight so use hooks that weigh the same if you up size. Owner STX 45 are lighter weight Zo wire hooks, available in size 3. Tom

AGM marine battery doesn’t die quickly unless it’s over charged, generally expect 5 to 7 years of battery life. Tom

Sunline Super Natural is excellent small diameter low memory mono line at similar price as XL. Fresh water spinning reels .010 diameter line to reduce coiling from line memory. 8 lb test Super Natural is .009D. Tom

Hold the jig head down and pull the skirt strands apart so none are sticking together. Run warm water over the jig while holding head down. Hang on a wire by the hook bend head down. Using a hair drier on no heat blow the skirts while hanging on the wire. Leave the jigs hanging on the wire over night. Should do this with all jigs! Tom

I went to school at AZ State in the early 60’s when the Tempe stock yards were still open... The Salt River lakes Roosevelt, Apache, Canyon and Saguaro are all good bass lakes fishing from a boat! My in-laws had a home on the Magollon rim so got familiar lakes. My favorite lake was San Carlos lake on the Indian reservation back then because no one fished it. You could fish fromshore with a spinner bait catching bass until you were tired. Tom

I thought someone would post the Beaufort scale... Here is a partial list related to prevailing winds. O = calm 1 = light air, 1 to 3 mph 2 = light breeze, 4 to 7 mph 3 = gentle breeze, 8 to 12 mph 4 = moderate breeze, 13 to 18 mph 5 = fresh breeze, 19 to 24 mph Anything wind speed higher isn’t prevailing, it’s a strong wind. Tom

The right buyer maybe $2500, it’s not worth what your heart thinks and pride you put into it! Tom

No, the hook hangers like a Vixen. Tom