WRB-2.0

Castiac now is populated by Stripe Bass decimating the food chain plus trout plants are very random. . Casitas isn’t getting much water from the Ventura River, only some run off as the local water board will not repair Robles diversion dam. Without a volume of water from the river the run off local water shed maybe toxic from fire retardants, doesn’t help the ecosystem. If crawdads and trout are restocked to provide more prey with high protein I can’t see Casitas coming back in the near future, it’s possible. Tom

No, back then you had to keep the bass to let DFG measure and weigh the bass, couldn’t release them alive or transport the bass to authenticate a legal catch, no weights added and correct species. It didn’t occur to me to kill the bass and the top 25 list happen years later. Tom

Bill Beckum caught his bass using live crawdads fishing a well known area. I knew of him but I wasn’t in his circle of buddies. Danny Kadota and Bob Crupi were buddies and generally avoided both of them. Danny’s Tin boat fleet killed a lot of giant bass back in the late 80’s early 90’s camped out on Dry creek Elisabeth canyon point area. Stringers of big bass belly up looked like volley balls floating next to the boats. This time period with $1,000,000 reward for a new world record bass putting tremendous fishing pressure on both Casitas and Castaic. Tom

Use a wooden dowel or your boat cleat. Tom

Crankbaits the 33 lb size is light and easy to open or close. Norman Speed clips can be very difficult to remove, I don’t use them. Berkley Cross Lock is strong, my 2nd choice. Tom

Break Free CPL lubricant works. Tom

Look at online fishing magazines. The only articles of interest to me in Bassmaster is their Day on the lake series. I am a Charter Life member since 1968, it’s been a free for 54+ years now! Tom PM, there is a excellent free online bass magazine.

We have the Delta and Clear Lake both are heavy cover fisheries. 25# Armilo is only .016D, never lost a swimbait fish using it over 5 years. Heavy cover don’t use swimbaits with treble hooks. Nothing wrong with .018D copoly on a 300 size reel imo. Anyway each to his own insanity. Peace, Tom

I recalled your IROD recommendation and agree but the OP doesn’t like the handle material, the reason I suggested the cork handle SB jr rod. 20 lb Izor copoly is .018D, that is your recommendation on a 200K, amazing! Tom

Are you using a 200K? If yes recommend a line for the OP. Tom

What happens with a small diameter spool with 110 yds of 14# mono line capacity is severer (30-35%) reduction is in IPT after casting 30 to 35 yards. Very difficult to get a solid hook set if you can’t load the rod by reeling in line. If the OP uses .018D mono or copoly the spool may only hold 75 yards of line, then the IPT is reduced further to 50% after casting 30-35 yards. Tom

200K spool hold 110 yards of 14# mono, average being .015D 300K holds 180 yards mono .015D P-Line CXX, 10# is ..014D, 15# is .016D Big Game, 15# is .015D, 20# is .018D. Depending on the reel size, 200K is marginal, maybe 17# Armilo is .013D about 125 yards. More line capacity consider braid w/leader...last choice! 300K will hold 165 yards of 25# Armilo at .016D or 180 yards of 22# Armilo. Tom

My wife’s family had a home across the bay from Red Deer lodge Lake of the Woods. Crow was considered a Lake Trout Lake by the locals but it was a excellent Smallmouth lake as well plus a few big muskies. Haven’t been back there since my father in passed, sold his properties in Canada. Tom

Spy baits are the opposite of a jerk bait imo. The retrieve is a steady natural slow glide just fast enough to keep the props turning. Jerk is a dying or panicked bait, nothing natural about the movements. The only similarity is their shape. Swimmers like Kietect displace water using the tail motion and soft life like coloration and texture being soft plastic. Swimmers often get bit on the fall as a jig trailer and be be rigged weedless. Tom

Anchoring at night is a big advantage in the wind. You know where you are all the time and can look for lures, tie knots etc, etc. Take a page from the trophy bass anglers and guides who use live shad or crawdads, they all anchor to have a still quite boat to present their baits. I prefer to be mobile but there are times anchoring is preferred. Tom

Sunline Diefer Armilo Nylon 22#/.015D or 25#/.016D. Tom

I remember this conversation when Lucky Craft lures hit the market, who would pay $15 for a jerk or lipless bait? It turns out nearly everyone will pay for lures that catch bass consistently. Tom

IROD new Quercus has premium cork handle and light weight balanced Swimbait rod IQ783 jr swimbait, 2-4 oz lures, fast-mod action. check this rod out! Tom

using 2.5 oz swimbaits then stay with Dobyns DC795SB. Tom

5 years ago the excuse was bird nest in the trees grown in the diversion channel. The impact of that decision was the Thomas fire ash and retardants silted the lake and lowered the DO levels to serious levels. The trees and brush was cleared 3 years ago. 10 years back the reason was bird nest on arrow island so the marina on Arrow island couldn’t be used to make a parking area. The old Coyote ramp was renovated using steel grids to use as a ramp when the lake level fell below 34%. There is a long history since the environmentalist took over the water board funded by Patagonia. Casitas May never fill above 50% pool as this level prevents any permits for new or remodel home construction in the Casitas water district. Tom

Tubular glass rods are popular now ie; glass crank bait rods, 80’s technology. Tom

Another set of storms coming in tonight for a few days of heavy rain. 5 years between rainy weather causes problems. Cachuma will be full following this weekend up about 50’ vertical in 5 days! Casitas is up about 3’ even with the Ventura River flood stage?

Back in the 90’s fishing at Castaic returning to the ramp I decided to stop and consider one more spot. With my OB idling I thought hearing a faint voice saying help me. Turned off the engine, it was very windy with white caps and heard the cry for help again. About 100’ up wind a man face and hand was out of the water, I fired up the OB and motored over to guy who was barely able to speak. Tried tossing him a rope and he was too exhausted to hold it, so put the engine in gear and circle up wind to get close to the man and grab his shirt. Worked the man around to the stern and tried to pull him into the boat too heavy. Put the rope under his arms and managed to slid the guy into boat as waves came over the transom. Without the waves wouldn’t be able to get the big man into boat. The guys finger nails were ripped off and could only mumble he fell off a jet ski. We were about 1/4 mile from the ramp so I motored carefully to the docks circle so the bow was into the wind with this guy laying on the rear deck. Waved the life guard over and some jet skiers came running. The guy was in poor shape the life guard was on his radio but the jet skiers were yelling at the man and me were was the jet ski they wanted to know. I lost it and started screaming them, the life guard had to settle me down I was so ticked. Where the fu..k was the jet ski, your friend nearly drowned as..holes! Had I not stopped to fish one more spot this guy drowns. I cussed jet skiers before because they annoy me never thought I would save one. Tom

Watched the Team Series this weekend and enjoyed it. 3 teams with 3 anglers on each team. 9 boats each team in communication with each team member. Wheeler was on the winning team but didn’t come close to having the most individual weight. Don’t know what you all are whining about? Tom

Daiwa SS 1300 & 1500 spinning are still made today and have a bullet proof back reel switch and drive train. Excellent reel to this day. Tom