WRB-2.0

Intrigued by Fish Lab nature series soft plastics. Tom

That would be a new Texas State record. Tom

The term finesse jig is difficult to define. So my definition is any 3/16 oz to 3:8 oz casting jig is a finesse jig vs a heavy wire/cover weed guard jig. Based on reference to shaky head jig with worm being fished in the same locations, you are Horizontal Jig Fishing*. Using a jig you have a vast choice in trailers to choose, shaky head uses a worm. Do you have a brand size that Tactical was promoting? Helps to focus on answering instead of guessing. Tom *In-Fisherman article I can email if you PM your address.

Blue- chartreuse skirt with gold willow & silver Colorado blades for bass targeting bluegill. Otherwise the common pearl white skirt, shad hologram Indiana blade with chartreuse trailer. Tom

Don’t have lizards currently. Lizards are the original “creature” bait and worked good. Berkley 8” Power Lizards black red flake is all I used T-rigged with bullet weight. Bed lure we sliced a sideways slot in the body and inserted alka-seltzer tablet to fizz. Tom

Nasty windy cold front. Hope you got the depth dialed, Tom

The clue the general bass population is transitioning from late pre spawn to early spawn is cruising bass along the spawning areas. Female bass don’t make beds before a make has already staked out the bed site. Your bass tail looks more like disease like bacteria then bed fanning. Good point as the big bass usually spawn early and deeper then we tend to believe. Tom

I don’t read between lines to well and a Fluke is a soft jerk bait to me. Regarding the traditional C-rig (ball & chain) never use it, do use a slip shot rig. Heavy weight tend to wedge into rock where I fish. No idea how deep the bass are without being on the water. You pre fished and should know. Good luck, Tom

63 surface water temp should be late pre spawn early spawn. Cold air has a slow affect to bass unless wind stirs the water column. We all have our confidence lures mine are jigs and worms, swimbaits during pre spawn. Don’t see any listed by the OP, different strokes for different folks. Tom

Mono is Nylon that cold flows with time under pressure. Knots put the line under pressure when snugged tight . How much deformation to the line depends on several factors but deform it does. Every knot I have tested loses nearly 20% of strength after 24 hours compared to a fresh tied knot. Knots tend to fail under fast applied force like hook sets and hot fish near the boat. That is why fresh knots and line reduce breaking off a fish of your lifetime. Your choice, me I choose fresh knots and re tie often. Tom

The OP’s spinnerbait underwater photo isn’t rolling sideways, the hook point is upright, the skirt is following straight back. What you don’t like is the head is pointed upwards and top blade wire is parallel with the line pull…,that is the only position a double blade spinnerbait can run unless it’s falling on slake line. Tom

Smaller excellent dog walking lure is Owner Cultiva Zip n Ziggy baby bass. Original wooden Sammy in Shad. Catt noted 1/4 Splash-It in bone or Shad worked fast. Tom

The “River” that supplies water from NorCal to Central and SoCal is the California Aqueduct. The canal was part of the Feather River project in the 60’s. The big Agri business in the San Jauqine valley about 300 miles long used 80% with 20% supplying water to SoCal. The walnut and cherry growers are loosing out to China and Brazil. Big Ag owns the almond business with guaranteed water supply tax payers supply via MWD. Water is extremely valuable in SoCal. Let it rain? Tom

That is how a spinnerbait looks underwater with the upper blade arm in-line with the line pulling it. Everyone looks at advertising photos with the hook parallel and upper blade arm 45 degrees upright. The forward blade spins around the wire on a clevis and can’t spin forward only back against the water pressure. The rear blade spins on a swivel and does’t create any torque like the front blade. Tom

It only takes 30 seconds to tie a knot and add a trailer or rig a soft plastic. You should be doing that several times during your outing.

Don Iovino Little Sluggers 3 1/2” are hand pours excellent colors and all Don’ soft plastics are being closed out as he isn’t making them anymore! Last chance is now. Tom

If you have 2 ea Power poles, FFS,2 ea 10” sonars units in the bow your,ON is 200+ hp w/19’+ bass boat. The amp draw is enough not to operate the engine computer and not start the state of the OB using a cranking battery to operate the Auxiliary electronics. You need a separate house battery for those items. Tom

Green pumpkin purple is Yamamoto #301, Green pumpkin magic is #330, both work. What about watermelon? Watermelon candy works good! Tom

Sparse, isolated areas wood and very little aquatic plants. Structure is the earth terrain underwater and man made structures. Cover is organic plants growing on structure and floating man made floating docks and platforms, buoys and boats tied to buoys. Our local lakes are reservoirs in steep canyons with rocky terrain and brush with a few oak trees. A few private lakes have docks and more fertile water with aquatic plants. Clear lake is a natural lake with heavy cover and docks. The Delta is a tidal River system with docks in marinas and heavy cover. Tom

You need swimbait rod for the heavier lures over 2 oz. Hard swimbaits, wake baits, glides and soft lures as noted above should work OK. Animals including fish don’t know their own size and will try to strike big lures. Bass may turn away the last second unwilling to strike at that moment so watch closely for followers. If you have musky and pike be prepared for toothy fish! Tom

No need for 3X heavy wire treble hooks for LMB fishing. Salt water you need hooks designed with plating to protect the steel from corrosion. I used Owner STS-58 Zo-wire treble hooks, very strong, sharp and don’t corrode. Owners split rings are good. Tom

Higher end swimbaits have excellent hooks out of the box. Butch is anal about keeping hooks sharp. Tom

You mind is made up use what you have confidence in. No test procedure exist for % of line stretch. Suggest Testing at your drag force setting applying force in seconds not minutes or hours. All mono and FC line yields around 30% to 35% of tensile strength. Tom

Why?

California terrain is high mountain ranges with large valley’s. The rivers are short in length dropping thousands of feet altitude creating fast moving water resulting in flooding the valleys. To save water dams creating reservoirs and levies to reduce flooding towns along the larger rivers. Bottom line California uses more water for agriculture then our human needs, about 80% vs 20%. Agri has been pumping the under ground water for over 100 years while the population has increased by 30 million people. Water is a big problem in California with Agri fighting the population and environmentalist fighting building new or higher water storage dams. Good to have the storms for everyone, we need the water. Tom