WRB-2.0

Castiac has a population of Smallmouth the passed 5 years, before that none existed. Casitas has a rare Smallmouth show up occasionally, not enough to target them. Pyramid has both LMB and Smallmouth so I try for Smallies on that lake 1st. DVL has both LMB and Smallmouth, never caught a Smallie there. Cachuma has both and try to target them on that lake. Big Bear has both and they live at different ends of the lake so it’s easy to pick which bass to target. Spotted bas are more common in Central and NorCal lakes, if I am fishing where Spots are located you fish for LMB and catch Spots, no need to target them. Smallmouth in SoCal run 4 lbs max, except Lake Havas and up in NorCal 6 lbs with 9 lbs possible, so that is where to Target Smallies California. Like to catch Smallies but the opportunity isn’t that often. My goal was always targeting Giant LMB, they have become so rare now I target what ever will bite. Tom

The cable is coaxial with the outer braid being a conductor. To work properly the repair can’t alter the impedance. Better to replace the TD and cable….or have a authorized service repair. Tom

Spinning reels for me fill in the finesse presentations for bass fishing casting lures 1/8 oz or less. My 1st spinning rod/ reel for bass fishing was a Zebco Cardinal 3 used for trout fishing. I had a Michell 308 before the Cardinal and preferred the rear drag. When Split shot presentation become popular by Dick Trask the 1/8 or lighter dart head jigs and #4 split shot with Flutter Craft* 3” Screamers and 4” curl tails my trout outfit with Cardinal reel worked good using 5# Maxima line. A few years later I bought a Shimano 1000 Stradic and Phenix Split Shot rod for my son. Both were perfect and sold the Cardinal for a Daiwa SS 1300 upgrading the rod to another Phenix Split Shot rod. Can’t tell you how many bass we caught on those finesse spinning outfits, thousands to 13.2 lbs. BFS wasn’t a factor in the 80’ and 90’s but my 2500C and medium fast bait caster followed by Daiwa HTSA 105 reels including TD Original Red Fuego today would be considered BFS. I still prefer spinning outfits for lures under 1/8 oz. Tom

Merlin Olsen (Ram Hall of Fame defensive back) used a fly rod blank with spinning guides to fish Turner Jones 1/128 & 1/64 micro jigs. Tom

7’ 5 Power Fly rod when lures get under 1/32 oz! Tom

The most important bait casting control is your trained thumb. Second is the rod you use to learn casting with. Third is the reel. You can’t buy training your thumb it takes practice. The moderate action rod loads up slower and will have a more forgiving release point launching the lure easer. You stated you want a 7’ MH fast action rod. That is ideal for all around bass fishing, except not that easy to learn to cast with. What is called a “crank bait” rod has a moderate action and ideal for learning to cast and casting diving lures. The problem with a high end casting reel is only related to disposable income, only you know that. Every bass angler ends up with multiple rods and reels for specific presentations. The 7’ MHF is a good bottom contact lure rod for 1/4 to 1 oz. and can be used for moving lures. The 7’ MHM is good for moving lures 3/8 to 3/4 and as mentioned easier to cast. I learned to cast with a Langley Lure Cast reel without any breaks, what is called a knuckle buster. My thumb was used to release and control the spool speed and as a 12 year old could easily cast 50 yards with a backlash. This isn’t rocket science. Todays anglers lack casting skills relying too much on centrifugal and magnetic breaks to control spool speed. What is important is how the rod and reel combo feels to you, you are using it. Being compact and lighter weight is good as long as it balancing well how you use it. My recommendation was Shimano SLX 70 MGL reel $150 or Daiwa Tatula SV TW reel in similar price range. That leaves about $150 for a rod. Tom

That is humbling to read and something impossible for me to do. My ability to speak clearly in lieu of sound like mumbling or a raspy voice is do to having only 1 vocal cord that works, the right side nerve is dead from a virus. Thank you, Tom

^^^^good advice^^^^ Tom

I use a Tatula 8:1 for casting jigs and larger soft plastic worms T-rigged with sliding 3/16 oz bullet weight and glass bead. With the water up coving the stick ups both casting a jig and T-rig worm will come into play this year. The advantage of the 8:1 reel is getting a hook set after casting over 100’ and controlling keeping s tight line until the bass is closer to the boat. I use 12# FC line for this presentation. The key to success is a well balanced rod-reel combo and using it! Tom PS, have some jigs for you?

The Northern bass will still be iced over March 20th in the Spring. The Florida bass lake will be finishing the Spring Spawn cycle by March 20th. Mans 12 month 4 season Calendar is meaningless in the bass world. Tom

Just checking and couldn’t find a option for a consul in the Grizzly 1754? The dead rise is 7 degrees. Tom

You are a better writer then I am a reader. Being a skilled caster helps to over come Boat positioning. Shared weight event your boater should want to help you to catch more bass. Fishing parallel casting back you can cover a lot of productive water. Fishing over your shoulder when the boat is more stationary can work or simply fan casting as if you are fishing from shore. My back seating time was limited to a few trips when I had a boat and fished with friends, fun fishing. I always ended up front in tournaments but never cut off water for the back seater. Enjoy your experiences, Tom

I noticed the Drimal tool, not a good idea! Try Gamakatsu #114, lighter wire with forged round bend and very strong hook, universal mold fit to #604. Tom

Bed bass don’t eat they strike to kill the intruder. Try dropping a marble in a bed and watch the bass remove it. Why bass strike is something that changes constantly. When they do strike take advance of it. Use what works is good, what doesn’t put it away and use what is working. The good thing about bass is they strike a wide verity of lures when they are active making us think we what we’re doing. I am more comfortable and had more success using what I believe is a more natural profile and movement soft plastic with contrasting colors. Tom

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As Catt said bass seasons differ from human seasons Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Bass know the cold water Winter seasonal period, Pre Spawn the transition from cold water to warming water. Spawn the actual bedding and egg laying seasonal period, Post Spawn the recovery period after spawning, Summer the warmest water seasonal period and Fall the cooling water seasonal period transition to cold water Winter. Every region where bass live go through their cycle of life seasonal periods. Bass are cold blood and have body temperature equal to the water temperature they are acclaimed to. Water temperature is what triggers the procreation time to spawn, their metabolism time to eat. Dissolved oxygen levels they need to survive or thrive must be between 3 to 12 mL/g for hours of time, too low they suffocate or too high can cause brain damage. The cold water period ass become lethargic with very metabolism but easier to locate, can be tough bite. Early pre spawn as bass start to transition to pre spawn can tough to locate bass, when you do can be good. Post spawn is short 2 week or so time and tough to get bass to strike, but with the over lap between groups of bass going back and forth from spawn cycles you can usually locate feeding bass. Summer can be tough with the abundance of young of the year prey available, but the+warm water increases the need to eat making it a variety of choices so catching bass is usually easier. Summer brings out recreation users on the water, that is when night rules with quieter and less boat traffic. Fall can be like early pre spawn with everything moving and transitioning making locating feeding bass a trial. Tom

Proposing is a engine trim issue, do you have electric or hydraulic trim? If it’s just a matter of tilt pin, then check the engine height. Your engine prop shaft centerline should be 3 1/2” below the plane surface with the engine trim parallel to the flat bottom surface. Grizzly is a rough riding hull but shouldn’t shaking and rattling. You can mount a 3/4” to 1” rubber shock pad under the consul to quite it down and get good seats to save your spine. Tom

What rod do you have that may work? What line and lures do you like to pitch? Tom

You say you have no intention of entering these tournaments yet you are fishing? You are back seating in a blind draw team event. As a back seater you can share your G2 but don’t expect the boater to accept your info if it’s not in his wheel house. As a back seater your window to cast is always behind where the boater is casting, ie used water at whatever pace the boater is fishing. Pace or boat speed limits your options so be prepared. Practice accurate casting skills without getting in the way of the boater or snagging lures, both distract the boater. Become a expert at netting bass, never miss! Do what your boater wants you to do and ask! Good luck! Tom

Medium Fast or xfast for both Husky and 3DB’s imo. Tom

Rapala HJ10 is 4” @ 3/8 oz, 6’8” to 6’10” MF rod will work. What weight Yo-Zuri are you using? Tom

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You can easily hear and feel the detent click. Yours is defective or the spring clip (#6) is missing. Tom

Spinning reels cheap mono is OK, casting reels use lighter weight cheap Dacron braid. Tom