WRB-2.0

Rod, reel, line specifics? Tom

New in box, exchange it for the black model. Tom

^^^^no damage to the soft plastic^^^^ Tom

Not absolute rod ratings with various swimbaits. Top hook soft plastic swimbaits like Huddleston Deluxe 68 for example add the rod ratings and divide by 2 to achieve for nominal power and ideal lure weight. Hard jointed swimbaits and glides with treble hooks is more like selecting a rod for crankbaits, need the power to launch heavier lures but also need a more fast-moderate power to keep the bass hooked. The IROD I recommended is ideal for glides to 3 1/2 oz. Tom

Use 20# monofilament line of choice and tie a clove hitch plus a half high to hold the knot tight on the hook shank. Clip off both ends with about 1/8 sticking out. Slid the knot wherever you want located Then put 1 drop of super glue on the knot and let dry. The glue knot and 1 mono ends will hold soft plastics on the jig hook shank firmly for dozens of trailers. Tom

Z-Man Giant TRD 6.5” Tom

Owner hooks; #4107 Cover Shot #4109 Wacky Jungle #5133 Down Shot size appropriate for soft plates diameter/thickness. Tom

I like to jig fish. #1 my hair w/pork trailer. #2 my jig tied with living rubber and chigger Craw trailer. Old friend is making Pull Ball jigs for me. 3# Texas rig brass glass big worms at night. Just catching bass on finesse is either drop shot, slip shot, nail weight wacky worm. Still like crank baits and dog walking surface lures when that bite is working. Tom

Cork handle then IROD IQ783, 7”8”, Swim Jr, 2-4 oz fast/mod is light weight high quality rod. Tom

Dobyns Champion XP DC796SBMT Tom

Yamamoto Senko is heavy loaded salt soft plastic and splits easily Texas rigged. Trying to bury the hook eye with heavy wire EWG hooks doesn’t work. The “Light” Owner CPS will shed weeds but don’t expect to re use Senko's for more then a few bass. The problem is the hook eye is exposed, the knot tag end will snag weeds. Solve 1 problem and create another. Jethro rubber cone covers the knot. Tom

Not a fan of EWG hooks. The off set bend shouldn’t pick up weeds, it’s a smooth bend unless using too larger hook for the Senko. A round bend off set hook design with the hook point above the hook eye so the point rest on top of the Senko skin hooked will solve your problem. Tom

My 1st reaction is this must be an older winter thread resurrected. No, it’s a current spring time thread! Every day on the water is a good day. The worst thing about bass fishing is not going. Tom

Don't know how agile you are and suggest renting a kayak to determine if you can get and out OK. Tom

1st step is determining what thecseasonal period actually is based on prior and current weather and water temps. Water still in the 60’s spawn is ongoing somewhere. 2nd step visually look around the marina docks for baitfish like Shad and bass fry, usually some if it’s Post spawn. Crappie spawn before bass and blue gill afterwards, carp activity in the shallows is another clue. I am not patient enough to start slow so rather go searching with my sonar and use something that I cast and retrieve to settle down, takes me about 15 minutes to get a feel what’s going on. Once I know where the bass should be settle down and go fishing. Post spawners are not active and require something like a weightless Senko or nail worm so too early to fool around with that stuff. I like to work a baby bass Zip n Ziggy if fry are around. Atfer The wiggles are out move out to deeper breaks and fish jigs, now I am a happy camper. Tom

I hired a guide for the 1st time in my life a few weeks ago. Sold my boat and wanted to fish a lake that haven’t fished in over 25 years. New experience didn’t know what to bring so kept it minimal with few jigs my jig rod and spinning rod. 1 bag of of jig a few pork trials and was to.d the “pro” know what to use. Foggy start and 35 mph westerly wind with white caps. Caught a bunch of Senko bass, not my thing. Talked the “pro” into letting me jig fish bluff walls in the wind and mainlake channel swings, caught about 20 decent bass, the guide was surprised a jig bite was happening. Enjoyed the trip once I got to do my thing. Tom Hooks; Owner Cover Shot Hook for T-rigged /light bullet weight, Owner Wacky Jungle hook for everything wacky rigged, Owner Down Shot 5133 for weedless drop and slip shot rigged finesse worms. Whoops wrong forum, Finesse rigs for rocks; drop shot, slip shot, Nail/Neko weight, shaky head jig, finesse jigs, weightless Senko and light weight Texas rigged worms. Our lakes are rocky so lots of practice fishing in the rocks. The key is using the lightest weight the conditions allow and still detect strikes. When you hang up and you will don’t force the snagged lure out, simply hold the rod high and jiggle it out works. If that doesn’t work try to move to the opposite direction and jiggle the lure out. After the long drought brush has turned into a jungle and the same finesse lures work out if you use lightest weight possible with weedless hooks and patients. Getting a hooked bass out of the jungle takes finesse also don’t force themlet them swim out, works sometimes but you will loose a few. Tom Hooks Owner Cover Shot, Down Shot and Jungle Wacky are excellent.

Not “legal” to transport* live bass. You said it has Bluegill and catfish, what kind of catfish? 1/2 dozen 12” LMB would be my choice plus a bucket full of crawdads from local streams. *Don’t bother with the DFW, not going to issue you a permit! Nice property! Tom

Irod IRG754F Gen 3 7’5” is rated 1/2 to 2 oz and a good utility rod, P/F, jigs, frogs etc. Tom

Today’s casting reels have spools nearly 50% smaller diameter then yesterday’s round ABU -4500/4600 or wider 5000 reels. Gear ratio is less important than IPT at the end of your cast. Todays 100/200 size reel spools IPT at 40 yards drops nearly 40-50%. 8:1 gear ratio with 34 IPT full is around 18” after 40 yard cast. Need to take IPT into consideration. Tom

Senko’s are a dead stick lure, lost art with today’s run & gun bass anglers. you want to catch bigger bass slow down on the 1st cast. Tom

During the 90’s when the $1,000,000 reward for a all tackle world record Largemouth Bass was going on boats from nearly every state showed up at Casitas and Castiac lakes, circus time. Both lakes are about 2,000 acres with roads that over look the lakes, plus parking areas with good viewing areas. Hopeful anglers would have buddies with 200 power spotting scopes stationed at strategic areas to watch (spy on) boats fishing. If you had a bass boat you were watched like a hawk..I. Tried to keep under the radar (spying eyes) by fishing out my 14’ Lund with MN tags and it worked! If I showed up in my bass boat it was a different story, even the locals showed up and fished nearby. I had 1 spot called the “Old Folks Home” that I only fished with my aluminum boat during the week in rainy weather, It’s still my secret spot that few others know of. There're few secrets on our local lakes! Tom

Cork is usually 1” disk segments glued together on the rod blank then shaped and sanded. Tom

If your wife wants to fish then teach her to fish, if she doesn't Don’t try! Bobbers are for kids, your wife is a adult treat her like one of your friends and teach to bass fish. Tom

I pick up, a Curado 150 DC reel on 7’6” rod my friend was using with a 1/2 oz swim jig to use a few minutes. Casting wasn’t easy to get distance as the reel slows down the spool before I would. Using enough rod speed to cast 10 yards further with my own tackle was frustrating. Tried to loosen the spool tension knob a little with negligible improvement. DC reels are design to slow down the spool to reduce backlashing, works the novice angler anglers I guess. Tom

The best to experiment with lures is during a good bite to learn what is actually working best. Tom