WRB-2.0

Whichever line you chose adjust the reel like you use it by adjusting the spool tension knob. Show him how so the lure falls with enough resistance that it stops when the lure hits the ground. Pull off 50 yards of line and tape over the balance of line on the spool using Teflon pipe thread tape with 1 wrap. The tape prevents a deep backlash. Show him a easy casting motion letting the rod launch the lure. Do not whip cast like a spinning reel! Good luck, keep it fun. Tom

River2Sea Tatical Bassin DD Crank Bait was a hot item a few years ago. Tom

Catt has recommended the TT731MHFB twice in this thread, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. ALF has this on sale. Everything you need in a jig& worm rod! Tom

White Bass, Striped Bass are true bass, not a Black Bass family. If we are including “all Bass” then add salt water species. Giant Back Sea Bass White Sea Bass Calico Bass Barred Sand Bass Spotted Bay Bass Cabrillo Stripe Bass Fresh water White Bass Hybrids and Intergrades are not a species. Tom

The 9 recognized Black Bass caught 6. Northern LMB Florida LMB Southern Spotted / Alabama Bass Northern Spotted/ Kentucky Bass Smallmouth Bass Red Eye Bass Tom PS, all the above transplanted into California lakes and river, none are native.

A pegged bullet weight using a Roboworm Ned worm isn’t a Ned rig. Suggest trying a weightless 5” Senko wacky rigged using Owners Weedless wacky Jungle hook size 1. Another option is a Slinko 5 1/2 inch on a 1/8 oz weedless Block bead jig. Tom

50 degree surface water doesn’t mean it’s 50 degrees at the depth the bass are located. One of these days you all will come to the conclusion that inactive bass are not catchable bass. Active bass are catchable and neutral bass can be caught using the right presentation. It’s all about timing and during colder water periods the timing is very short feeding cycles. Tom

Texas State record LMB was caught 2 January 1992, 18.18 lbs, by a crappies fisherman. Tom

General statements tend to get scrutinized beyond intent. Thermoclines can limit the depth bass populates do to low DO levels. The lake could be 100’ deep and the bass suspended at 30’ located on a thermal break. Buck Perry developed a set of Spoon Plugs to troll at specific depths to determine the depth of the life zone. Today we short cut this process using sonar to determine the life zone depth then apply that knowledge to locate bass on physical structure breaks. Doing this you are following Buck Perry’s theory fishing where the bass are located in deeper water lieu of fishing blind pounding the shoreline. Tom

This is a big lake 85 miles long 46,000 acres. Catt’s suggestion is as good as it gets concerning massive lakes. Each major creek arm is a lake unto itself plus the main lake river channel and dam area. The basics are the spawn cycle so start here. Locate known spawning areas with wind protection and shallow water 1’ to 5’ deep with sandy soil and some wood to shelter a bed. Next is pre spawn and post spawn near the spawning areas with deeper water access close by. Creek arms with Y secondary points leading to the spawning areas are good staging locations. These areas will hold populations LMB about 6 months of the year. It's the cold water period currently and the bass try to find the warmest water within a few miles of the 6 month spawn-summer periods, nor far from the fall migration locations. Eufaula’s dam area has long underwater points dropping into the main river channel. I would check out this area during the cold water seasonal period looking for birds and baitfish schools near the point ends. Determine the life zone depth using your sonar and target bass at that depth. Each creek arm should have similar structure elements that you can locate using the same techniques. Tom

Make a list, arrange them by type or brand, take a photo and sell them on Flea Market forum. Worst case you will know what you have. Tom

You are not far from ReelEx Dan Isaac who is regarded as the top Shimano reel tech in the country. Dan will clean super tune your reel with ABEC 7 bearings for $30. Give Dan a call. Tom

The key with Slip Shot or Finesse C-rig isusing Mono or Copolymer line to help keep the line from dragging the bottom. FC line sinks drags the bottom. Light wire strong hooks and using soft plastics that tend to float in lieu of sinking swim better. I would say using 30”-36” distance between the weight and hook works good for me, easy length to cast. Watching the last St Lawrence River Bass tournament several top finishers were dragging a Slip Shot rig. Tom

Arbogast Mud Bugs sizes are in inches long; size 300, 400 and 500 (3”,4” # 5”) as I recall. Tom

You might use JDM. JDM reels often use aluminum gears in lieu of brass accounts for weight differences. Tom

Post a map and will try to break it down for you. Tom

You are Haole, not welcome in the Maui as a resident only as a tourist. Great place to visit not so good to live imo. Money not being restrictive San Diego offers a great climate and fishing opportunities with a beach front home. Tom

Only use the “slip shot” rig now being called the “finesse C” rig. Traditional egg sinker swivel and bead hangs up in our rocky structure lakes. The Cyclinder weight bead and Carolina Keeper or pegged bead eliminates 2 knots, only 1 knot at the hook and completely adjustable length weight to hook. Tom

You mentioned Lake George MN. We were driving back from Lake of the Woods and decided to visit Itaska were Mississippi River originates and letTommy at age 3 walk across the River head waters. As we drove south Tommy was sleeping and woke up saying he was here when he was George. Keep in mind Tommy was 3 years and the next turn in the road was Lake George resort! We stopped for lunch and will never forget it! Tom

Wonderful college and beautiful campus. No question who has has the brains, she spent a year in Rome at Loyola, brilliant woman that tries to keeps me in line. She misses shore lunches in remote Canadian lakes with eagles and the call of the Loon. Doesn't miss the mosquitos and black flies. Tom

^^^this is our sunset^^^ tonight. The Blue Whale story reminded me of the 1st time I experienced seeing them. I was with my son up in the tuna tower of Cuatro tuna fishing off San Clemente island. The whale was with a pod and swam toward our boat and glided underneath it, came out the other side while we were shouting Blue Whale. The Whale turn around and swam back to it’s pod. Awesome site. It’s hard to imagine the size of a Blue Whale and the iridescent blue glow and how wide the head is with the 2 robes clearly visible. Tom

My wife grew up in MN and Ontario-lake of the Woods summers. Soon as she graduated from Saint Catherine’s, St Paul moved to SoCal...no more frozen car, following snow plows in 30 below for her. It’s good some folks like the frozen north we are not among that group. Tom

We have city water storage lakes that have never been open to the public for fishing, zero fishing pressure. These are unmanaged lakes for fishing purposes yet have phenomenal fishing if you get a chance to fish them. Self sustaining fish populations, most over 50 years old. Open these lakes to public fishing with State regulated harvest limits and the fishery will change and become like every other public lake. The question is if these lakes were only open to tournament fishing would they change? Imo the answer is yes. The fish being caught about 3% of the catch population don’t survive. The most aggressive fish are among those being caught and slowly eliminated from the gene pool. In public lakes the fishing population is both intentionally harvested and unintentionally loosing fish from the population by post mortality from tournaments and food. Catch, photo and immediately released the post mortality would reduced but not eliminated. Lots better then livewell mortality. Tom

For $30 have ReelEx, Dan Isaac super tune the reel. I bought a 300A for my son to use and it was as quite as my Calcutta’s, good swimbait reel. Tom PS, you can phone Dan and ask him what the issue is.

I use the Plano 4600 guide series 2 layer box, 1 for hooks and a second for weights, beads, bobber stops, etc.. smaller sizes on the top and larger or heavier on the botto:. 2 boxes fit into a tackle bag with 3 side poaches for extra line, tools etc. 1 bag holds everything needed regarding terminal tackle. Tom