WRB-2.0

Unusual to find Bluegills schooled with pelagic crappie and perch. Sounds like a thermocline maybe developing. In this situation a 1/4 oz Shad color swim jig with a blade and 2.8 Keitech shad color swimmer tends to work. Tom

Started in Japan and moved to America. The Casting reels are modified incorporating shallow light weight spools to cast .002-.004 diameter braid and light weight lures under 1/8 oz that bass angler normally use ML spinning. Dobyns introduced BFS rods but most are JDAM rods. Daiwa and Shimano offer BFS casting reels. Tom

Started using Sunline Shooter FC in the early 90’s, the line hasn’t changed it’s the same today. 99% of bass anglers use line 2X to 3X stronger then needed to catch the average size 3 lb bass. I would go as far as saying a 3# bass don’t break the line, the angler does. Where I fish you can’t get strikes using mono or FC over .012D using jigs and worms during daytime unless using big swimbaits. Why? Hundreds of hours fishing dictate if I want to catch big bass on jigs .012D is as large diameter that works. 10# to:12# mono, copoly or FC knot strength becomes critical. Night or low light line diameter isn’t a major issues. When setting the hook into bass the weigh more then the line test strength I can’t afford a possible 20% knot strength lose. Tom

Simple answer is same diameter mono vs FC mono has stronger knot strength and abrasion resistance. Monofilament line is made basically from Nylon and been around since the 1950’s. One knot was popular for mono line a variation of the clinch knot. In the 1980’s the Palomar knot became popular, both offer 100% knot strength performance. Around the millennium 2000 Fluorocarbon became available on filler spools, prior to that it was only available as leader line. FC line has poor knot strength compared to mono and wars began with dozens of different knots being created to solve the knot failure issues that continue as I write this. If you factor in FC having 80% knot strength and choose your line accordingly; 1 size larger # test then mono then you solve the knot issue using standard knots popular with mono. Tom

I bought a Abu Black Max for me son in 1990, horrible reel! Put an older Ryobi V spool reel on a Lewis Dave Frits crankbait rod and he loved it. Line goes to Techtan Copolymer, cost a night tournament with it’s low impact strength? Tom

For decades I used a home made stringer with 2 SST slide lock clips on a 10’ 300# test mono and 1# weight. When I caught DD bass they where immediately clip onto the stringer and lowered into the water before weighing or any photo taking. The cool deeper water relieves stress and lets the bass recover. Still have that stringer! Stress kills big bass faster then average size bass because they are older fish. Tongue hooked bass always bleed out, nothing you can do to save them. Tom

I use a 2 1/2” length of straight finesse worm, split the tail end “1 1/4”, screw a Hitchhiker Medium spring into the flat cut end and after tiring on to jig clip the spring into the jig hook eye. The split tail end should be inserted into the hook point. This makes a good weed guard and adds color plus movement...win win. Plain football jig works good with Yamamoto twin tail Hula Grubs. Tom PM If you want a sketch and my Horizontal Jigging article.

1/4-1 oz is “normal” rating for MHF with the majority of bass rod brands. Tom

If you have ever used a “sticky” sharp hook that you can’t touch without it sticking you, then you know what a sharp hook is! The finger nail test Glenn demonstrated is minimum sharpness. I want my hooks to “stick” into the basses mouth tissue when it strikes to help me detect a strike, it’s critical. Not every premium hook you buy comes out if the package sharp, a few are actually dull. Check every hook when using it and sharpen them when needed. I use hand tied hair jigs, not tossing a jig just because the hook point gets dull. Tom

Don’t know if you have a Costco nearby they usually have a good selection of sunglasses like Oakley, Ray Ban, etc and will make prescription polarized lens for the brand you like. Another choice is Sunglass Hut. Get light weight glass lens because you tend to clean them often when fishing and plastic scratches. Tom PS, I wear by dark grey polarized sunglasses whenever outside on sunny days.

If you decide on Shower Blows be prepared to change out the stock treble hooks to Owner STX-58 one size up; 105 size 6 to size 4 and split rings. Tom

DIY set 4” back frame made from 2 ea 4” channel 5/16” thick 6061-T6 can be welded to a 3/8 thick 6061 12” square plate. Bolt on your favorite 6” jack plate and you have the desired 10” jack plate. Why is the 10” set back needed? Tom

Weight and hook size / brand? Tom

None! Tom

Rebel Jumping Minnow isn’t anything like a pencil popper other then it sits tail down. The Shower Blow combines a spitting popper with a walking top water that sits tail down. SB has been around now 6 years and established itself. MB Pop Max and SB are a toss up, both pricey and both work. Tom

Looks the Panther unit answers your needs. Tom

If you are dragging a football head jig pop it occasionally to clear off any debris. Another trick with a football jig is rocking it, a dead stick technique by light pulling the line tight lifting the trailer up then giving it slack to fall back. Shaking a football jig by jiggling your reel handle to shake the rod tip and combine the rocking and shaking. Tom

My dermatologist told me everyone gets so many hours in sun until we use them up before skin cancer starts to develop. I used my time up early in life unfortunately. The sun light reflects off of the water at every possible angle so as anglers the exposure is total. The other factors not always considered is altitude and latitude. The higher the elevation the closure to the suns unfiltered rays you. The latitude is similar the closer to the equator the more harmful the sun rays become. I spent my youth working, fishing and playing the sun at 7,200 feet very clear air cooking my skin. As a young adult fishing south of the boarder to Cabo San Lucas sunup to sundown. Blue eyed Scottish decent my fair skin is toast because we simply didn’t know about Sun Protection. Skin cancer can kill, my friend Bill Murphy author of In Pursuit of Giant Bass is one example. Protect yourselves from the sun, no excuses today. Your skin the largest organ take care of it. Don’t take hot showers, hot water damages your skin. Use a unscented moisturizing cream often, especially after showering. SPF 50 lotions are very helpful and cover ups we have disucced. Glenn pointed out polarized sunglasses, good to know. Diet is important add fish oils. Tom

Let’s put a fork in this topic because no one knows what a bass can see underwater. We know what works for each individual angler and bass color choices based on success. I was fishing a night tournament several years ago with my son who tied on a custom white ghost DD22 because he knew the lure worked good during day time outings. I had my Black Red crawdad DD22 because I knew dark colors works good at night. Tommy put 3 bass in the 7 class class in the boat and I caught zero. Guess made the change! Tom

Senko’s collar isn’t in the middle, it’s about 1/3 back of the node end and that is where the wacky hook is inserted. 5” Senko the wacky hook is placed 2” back of the nose. Tom

Fish where you were successful pre fishing. Most tournament anglers don’t stick bass during ore fishing. You can use tiny cubing to cover the hook point to prevent hooking bass. You want to knot the bass are there and how deep they active. Todays bass anglers have live Scope and FSS to “see” the fish react to lures, eliminates the unknown factor. If you have confidence in the area, the spot or structure it’s game of when to holdem or when to foldem, gut decision. Tom

2500 Shimano Sedona spool diameter and reel long stem may be creating too high a angle for the line to enter the 1st larger guide. Either use a rod with longer guide foot to be in line the spool or use a size 1000 reel. Changing to Fins 10# Spin5* braid with 5# Maxima UG copoly leader may help. Should be able to cast 1/8 lures over 30 yards. Tom *10#(.004D) 15# (.005D)

Finesse fishing like most bass terms can’t be defined by Webster. Micheal Jones coined the term “finesse” to describe Dick Trask and Don Iovino’s technique using light line* and small soft plastics. Dick was a expert with split shot and dart jigs using 4 1/2” Flutter Craft worms. Don earned the nick name Father of Finesse Fishing using 4” to 5” worms doddling (shaking) Brass n Glass rigged on light line on his modified 2500C and custom Phenix rods. Tom *5 lb Maxima UG

American—Legacy--Fishing, not a sponsored BR site so I use ALF.

Earlier this year I lost my only frog and had to improvise using Yamamoto Sanshouo (133-06-926) with 3/0 4107 Cover Shot hook with success. Not a toad, it’s a wide body salamander, give it try! Tom