WRB-2.0

All FC line has more memory the Mono line. FC stretch is the same as Mono line. Bass are not line shy fish like trout are. Braid with leader requires 2 knots, 1 to join the leader to the braid and another to join the leader to the hook or lure. FC has weaker knot strength then Mono. If you manage your line twist using mono or FC by untwisting it after each use no need to use braid with 2 knots to fail. Uf you can’t manage the line twist or don’t want to make the effort then braid with leader makes sense. Floating braid on the water surface is a good strike inducator for weightless soft plastics. Choices, mine are straight 7# Sniper FC and 5# Maxima Ultra Green copoly and TangleFree line condition. Since I no longer have a boat to untwist my line I am back seating I am considering braid ( ugh) with leaders. Tom

Bog to means mosquitos decaying timber, muck bottom, not for me. Prism The Alewives spawning lake sound better. Hard to compete with predominate pre fish populations but surface pencil poppers like Gun Fish or 110 Yo-Zuri can work. The is always a crawdad bite! Tom

WYes as far as I know and shared my Cosmic Clock with Al Linder, the reason wrote a few article for In-Fisherman magazine; Rare Chance for a World Record and Horizontal Jigging. Bass fishing terms get redefined constantly, one reason it’s so difficult to communicate. Thank you, Tom PS, if interested PM you email will send you copies.

When you see females cruising Pre Spawn is over. Slow me 1 reference to Pre Spawn before 1974 when 1st did my seminar The Cosmic Clock and Bass Calendar using that term! Tom

When Berkley Power worms 1st came out we did sand them to help release the attractant not to dull them. Tom

When you catch a bass note the depth it was in then take it’s body temp with the ray gun and that is the water temp depth zone they prefer. Tom

Yamamoto created the Hula Grub by combining Bobby Garlands Spider skirt and twin tail grub. Before the Hula grub we bought spider skirts and twin tail grubs and rigged them on a ball or football head jig. Yamamoto offered the spider skirts until 2 years ago. This allowed you to have different color spider skirt and grub. Hula grubs come in 2 sizes 4” and 5”. Use them both and let the bass tell you what they want. I have promoted using Hula grubs for decades to learn how to jig fish because they are so effective and easy to use. 1/8 to 1/4 oz ball head with 4” and 3/8 to 3/4 oz for 5”. read my Horizontal Jigging article or post. Post spawn the Slip Shot rig with 3/0 #5133 Owner or J-light wire off set hook works good just slow drag along the bottom, looks like a school of fry. Tom

When I started diving plugs a “high speed” bait casting reel like Ambassador 5000C was 4.3:1. Today that same reel would be a 300 size and spool diameter and width is very important as it affects IPL (inches per handle full turn). Todays reel have smaller diameter narrow width spools to reduce size and weight. You want a crank bait reel to move the line 20”-24” throughout the cast, any faster and most deep divers tend to turn sideways and have very high water resistance making it difficult to go any faster. Consider that a 100 to 200 size casting reel loose about 40% of the IPT after casting 40 yards. 300 size casting reel with larger diameter wider spool may loose 10% IPT, size matters. Ideally a 300 size reel with 5.1 to 5.8:1 with 24 IPT full spool. Tom PS, you want to learn deep diving crank baits....troll them.

Pre spawn is a specific seasonal period about a month before the spawn. Prior to that it’s the winter colder water period that big females are hunting what is available to gain protein needed to fatten and that usual larger mature baitfish. Late winter transition to pre spawn is the ideal time for swimbaits. The thought that pre spawn starts with egg development during the summer eliminates Summer, Fall and Winter as significant behavioral periods. Tom

The season period I know best is pre spawn. Largemouth bass vs Smallmouth bass varies about 3 degrees in water temperature at the depth the bass are located at. Surface water temperature don’t affect bass behavior! Largemouth bass I know best and Florida strain better then Northern strain. Florida strain are far more sensitive to water temperature changes then Northern strain. My water temperature target for pre spawn LMB is 55 degrees based on over 50 years catching big female bass. When you see females cruising the spawning flats you know they are about 2 weeks from spawning. Prior to that time those bass those bass are staged on secondary and major points waiting for the water temperatures to stabilize. The 1st pre spawn prey source isn’t bait fish but is crawdads that emerge from cold water burrows in clay banks. The crawdads are high protein and easy meals vs faster bait fish. Think jigs and bottom soft soft plastics. Tom

Storm Suspend Dots were make for Rogues, 2 dots. Change the hooks! Tom

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Iovino’s Splash-It’s Assasin shad and blue neon shad are both excellent clear water poppers. Tom

Fixed spool can’t over run the line and backlash. What you have is a loop you created with closing the bail on loose line or back reeled. Tom

And more fishless....watch Big Mouth Forever video! Tom Circle hook were 1st used on multiple hook gangion deep rock fish rigs so the fish hook themselves and don’t come when the air bladder extends out the mouth.

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^^^typical High Land reservoir. Tom

In- Fisherman defined 5 reservoir categories based on the terrain the man made dam formed the impoundment. High Land; mountainous terrain*& ** Hill Land; hilly terrain*& ** Flat land; flat terrain** the plains lakes Low Land; coastal terrain** Canyon; deep steep walled canyon terrain* Colorado River lakes. Dams *Concrete power generation **Earthen with concrete spillway, flood control-water storage California reservoirs are High Land with 1 canyon lake Havasu and 1 natural bass lake, Clear Lake. Tom

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The perception that California is a large city and every lake is surrounded by homes couldn’t be further from the truth. California is 70% National forest with the High Sierra and Coastal mountain ranges. The San Jauqine Valley is over miles long with the Imperial and Salinas Valleys are agricultural rural farming. Wild life around our public lakes include Bald and Golden Eagles, Osprey, Pacific Flyway for water fowl, Blacktail and Mule deer, Tule Elk, a vast diverse amount of ground animals and predators like bear, mountain lions, Bob cats, coyotes, Fox, beaver etc., we enjoy the outdoors and environment. Lakes Casitas, Castaic, Cachuma, Pyramid, Piru, the public lakes within 60 miles of my home have no homes or private docks all have the wildlife noted. California isn’t a prestige wilderness like Alaska or Canadian fly in lakes, but it isn’t Concrete jungle. when I go fishing catching bass is the goal but these lakes can be tough at times and getting blanked happens. I am too old to pursue giant bass now and haven’t caught a bass over 10 lbs since 2012. Only blanked once the past decade and that last year unplanned trip to Pyramid back seating, but enjoyed the day in the water with a new friend. Tom

The Scott quote in context comes a purist fly fisherman that the pursuit is as important as the catch. The catch doesn’t get you out of bed at O’dark 30 the pursuit does. If catching is your goal get up at 9 AM and catch numbers of keeper size fish, little challenge in that. The pursuit keeps you focused on your goal catching fish or not. Tom

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The Central Valley lakes are all up about 20’ and rising. Success lake is close to Pine Flat, Isabella, Eastman and Hensley all decent bass lakes. Anyone thinking of going the next few weeks should call the lake ranger as launching ramps will be out of service until the debris and docks can be functional. Tom

IROD Gen 3 IRG7104AB is designed for A-rigs. Tom

Castiac Lagoon (after bay) is electric only, not a drinking water supply. I can’t get into or out of a kayak, boat for me. Butch Brown has a electric powered boat not a kayak to fish the lagoon. Tom