WRB-2.0

Crank the reel fast and swing into the loaded rod! Tom

You try using single replacement hooks #4102 from Owner, X strong. See Owners chart for size; size 4 treble is size 1 size 6 is size 2 treble hook replacement. Tom

bladed jigs have heavy wire jig hooks. Would you use your combo jig fishing? To overcome using moderate action rods suggest using the reel set and firm rod sweep in lieu of a rod hook set. Tom

^^^not good^^^ Tom

No they are open ended to allow for air circulation Tom

C21 12# test is .0116 or .012 dia, anytime you go over .010dia using 2500/3000 size spinning reel line management is marginal due to memory issues like the OP is experiencing. Suggest removing about 30’ of line and use a line conditioner. Tom PS, Sunline SuperNatural mono is a low memory line, 12# is .011 dia, both are marginal regarding dia.

Good for packaged soft plastics but the topic is loose soft plastics. I keep my original soft plastics in their bags but don’t mix used or loose with packaged. Tom

Simms also has a decent line of lightweight fishing waders. Tom

Shallow the lighter weight flutter spoon can retrieved in a few feet of water and weedless swimming spoons like Johnson Silver minnow or Nemire Red Ripper on or near the surface. Tom

From TW Strike King Hackney FC flipping jig, compact size. Santone San Rayborn jig, good all around design with Gamakatsu hook. AJ’s suggestion looks good! Tom PS, also look at site sponsor Seibert Outdoors has a good selection of jigs👍

Bluegill almost always locate near shore cover and crappie are more pelagic and school off shore. You more then likely have other baitfish like young of the year yellow perch and some variety of shiners. Structure type spoons maybe a better choice than flutter types but I keep both in the 3”to 4” length 1/2 to 3/4 oz in both nickel and gold colors, white chicken feathered treble hooks. Work the spoons through the baitfish with lift and fall retrieve should add to your lure choices, especially in the fall. Tom

Frog Togg offer both in lightweight chest high fishing waders. I preferred stocking foot with neoprene footwear and wading shoes. The reason is you get a better boot fit and far more comfortable. Tom

Deep divers a longer long, Tom

My fishing log is between my ears and it’s getting a little blurred. Tom

Scrounger jigs use a soft flexible bill usually available in the original short bill and the longer thinner bill. The best action for Scoungers is a tight rolling wiggle similar to the original Rapala minnow. Wide wobble doesn’t trigger strike as well as the tighter wiggle. Scroungers are fished incorrectly by most anglers thinking it’s like a crank bait, it’s more like a swimbait or swim jig, slower retrieve. I use a straight Sluggo as a trailer and carefully thread onto the hook so it’s not kinked but straight and smooth so it will wiggle properly. I tie direct to the jig eye with the San Diego jam knot without a clip, this helps the lure to keep a tighter wiggle. The flexible bill acts like a weed guard to some extent but not weedless. 3/8 oz with 5” Sluggo, 1/2 and 3/4 oz with 6” Sluggo. Picasso with Grammy hook and pearl white is choice today. Tom

You can split a straight tail worm using a safety razor. Lay the worm on a flat board and push the razor blade straight down through the center of plastic work starting at the tail end. Cut the worn to whatever length you want. I split worm tails for more action all the time and making a weed guard using a spring to attach to my jigs. Tom

I had that experience! My rep from St Luis John was fishing with me and he caught a big bass and wanted a photo of it. I rarely hand land big bass using crank baits but did with this bass. While John got out his camera I held the bass by the lower jaw in the water ready to lift it out so John could get his photo. The DD22 was still in the basses jaw and as I lifted the bass out of the water it shook loose of my grasp the rear treble hook went through my hand between the thumb and index finger. John got the photo while the bass was still in my grasp but not hanging by the crank bait shaking tearing a good size hole in the soft tissue. Grabbed the bass with my other hand and we managed to get get the hook out and another photo with John holding his bass. Still have the scar and use a net with crank baits regardless of the bass size. Tom

Dropper rig how long is the leader? Swing the weight out with the rod and the reel in free spool and let the weigh sink down without touching the leader. Keep an eye out for swelling or infection! Tom

You might want to check out JDM sites like digitaka in lieu of EBay! Tom

The rod tends to guides down from the reel weight turning over, it’s like a spinning combo in that regard. Big swim bait rods 8+’ I used have a foregrip to hold in lieu of the rod blank when landing big bass. Never ever high stick a rod with a strong fish. Good point. Tom

You don’t want to put a soft rod butt into a trolling rod holder! The bending force with big tuna prevent getting the butt out of the holder. Very nice rod cover and trolling combo👍 Getting into off shore big game fishing is addictive, enjoy it while you can. Tom

You should always cast with wrist movement and minimal arm movement! The under hand roll cast is normal wrist movement, I think the over hand cast is a side arm wrist cast. Tom

SoCal is a dry Mediterranean climate about 10 out of 12 months with a few weeks between November to March with cloudy weather. If we didn’t fish with high blue bird bright sky we wouldn’t fish very often. We do get wind most of the time and that helps as long as it isn’t high winds. For numbers of bass bright sky works fine as the sun brings up the Threadfin Shad feeding on phytoplankton and the school bass can be easily caught. The big bass get very selective ignoring artificial lure during bright light and target the live shad. 6lb to 7 lb LMB are caught occasionally but the big girls can occasionally be caught at night on lures during the summer. Pre spawn coincides with cloudy weather prime time to catch big bass. Tom

Yamamoto 2 1/2” twin tail hula grub. You can cut off the spider skirt but try it with before. Tom

Fluorocarbon line doesn’t absorb water like Nylon Monofilament lines do. To keep the FC line from springing off the spool during the cast creating a backlash line treatment like KVD coats the surface of the FC line to allow the line to wet ( hold water) to reduce springing off the spool during the cast. KVD is a spray and can be applied by spaying the spooled line on the reel. Just rotate the spool and spray then let the treatment soak into the FC over over night. Tangle Free is a liquid that comes in a 2 oz squeeze bottle. You apply the Tangle Free directly onto the spooled line, a few drops, prior to using the reel or anytime while using the reel as needed to keep the line wetted and laying on the spool during the cast. 2 oz bottle should last about a season depending how often you fish. Basically a liquid silicone Tangle Free will stay fresh for years. Tangle Free works good on mono or copoly line and FC line. Tom