WRB-2.0

Try to forget the other boats and just go fishing, that is what got you in. Make sure you have the needed tournament equipment; throw cushion, fire extinguisher, running lights or whatever the rules require. Fishing license for sure. Catch a big bass👍 Tom

I only been using crank baits for 65 years and during that time never throat hooked a bass with a crank bait. For circle hooks to work the hook needs to catch the fish mouth on the way out. This means the crank bait was swallowed or deep into the mouth before coming back out. I know it happens “ choked it” just not for me ever. The odds are not worth the effort imo. Tom

Send your photos to TFO nothing we can do about a soft tip guide ring! Tom

Welcome! Basically you asking questions about sight fishing spawning bass. 1. You need good polarized sunglasses and a wide brim hat to shade your eyes from sun glare on the water. 2. Bass spawn in water between 2’ to 8’ sometimes deeper, you need to be able to see bass beds to locate spawning bass. Bass beds can be located in wind protected areas usually in coves. Bass look very thin due to water refracting or distorting width but length look normal. Very hard to see bass that are not moving, beds are easier to see. Look. For a. 2’-3’ clean spot on the bottom and cast beyond that spot about 3’ so you lure fall into the bed. Watch closely for any movement towards your lure. Bass strike bed intruders to kill it not eat it. Hook sets takes practice because you only have a few seconds. I look for a white flash indicating the basses mouth opened and closed set the hook! You rarely feel a bed fish strike, may see slight line movement. Targeting bass out side the beds in a few feet of deeper water are easier to catch. Tom

Results?

Can’t show no photos catch and release quickly. 5 bass limit at Castiac 62+ lbs. Need to look at my notebook book for details and date. Tom

Don’t know how 7” Senko and Hollow body frog is considered finesse? Tom

Hand pour is just melted plastic poured into an open cavity mold. Hand injected isn’t different from high production multi cavity molds it’s a hand injected melted plastic forced under pressure into a single cavity mold to achieve fine or thin details. The highest quality hand pours are Roboworms robotically poured into open cavities. Tom

Any boat including rentals are a big help fishing our SoCal reservoirs. You will need a medium power fast action spinning outfit for finesse presentations like Slip Shot, Drop shot, weightless Senko’s and small swimbaits-jigs. Tom

Suggest not using the “tuna” knot with small diameter mono or FC line. Twisting the loop when tying a Palomar knot flattens the line at the knot. Use standard Palomar knot tied correctly without twisting the loop! 5 lb Maxima UG is stronger the most 6 lb mono, 8 would be good for a leader. Tom

Hand pour soft plastic worms originated in Burbank by Jim Smith “Smitty” worms and a local market started up. By the early 70’s every bass tackle shop had several hand pour suppliers. The advantage was multiple color layers and flake combination plus the plastic was soft and floated or was neutral buoyant depending on the salt content. The Japanese market was developing and hand pours couldn’t keep up with demand so a Robotic hand pour machine was developed by Greg Stumpf creating Roboworm company. Tom

SoCal is the center of the hand pour universe, yes I buy them👍 Tom

NOAA Tom

California has some of best weather anywhere in the world! We can fish year around both fresh and salt water for multiple game fish, Tom

Puddingstone is your your bet as it is close to you. Silverwood is within your driving range, DVL maybe closer than Castiac/ lagoon*. Irvine lake may also be a choice but pay to play lake. The San Bernardino mountain lake Big Bear is near your diving limit bass fishing picks around end of May early June. Tom * ideal for kayaks, electric only.

Diawa TatulaXT is very good and $99 price point. 7’3” MXF rated 1/8-3/4 cover nearly everything you need. Tom

Slip Shot rig (finesse C-rig) / reaper or hand poured worm. Drop Shot / wacky or nose hooked worms. Dart jig w/ 3 1/2”- 4 1:2” ribbon tail worm or swimmer. Weightless 5” wacky rigged Senko. The above using spinning tackle w/ 5# UG mono & 7# Sniper FC. Tom

2 or multiple piece fishing rods have been around for very long time so long rods could be transported. Fly rods date back a few hundred years for example. Fenwick and Browning light weight glass rods improved the ferrule joint design to be nearly as strong as a one piece glass rod in the 60’s. G. Loomis and Lamiglas perfected the ferrule design for graphite fly rods. Whenever a rod blank is cut into pieces some vibration is lost and most fishing doesn’t require high tensile strength from tip to butt. Bass anglers have been brain washed to believe sensitive is everything in a bass rod….not true. Yes you will loose some vibration feedback using a 2 or multiple piece rods but the convenence of transportation is well worth it. In Japan multiple piece fishing rods are common and perfected the technology. Tom

Gary Yamamoto only used Spinning outfits. I am sure he had his reasons why. Tom

I use both mono and FC line, use the line that works for you I do! Tom

Most of the world famous SoCal trophy bass lake are 2,000 acres or less but very deep. The major spawn is obvious when it starts as these lakes have good water clarity. As far as patterns there are usually several going concurrently based on tournament results. Bass being cold blooded the water temps control their body temps, egg development time and digestive length. Water temps are not surface temps it the temperature at the depth the bass are in, they don’t live near the surface. Tom

Difficult to know when your parents need to stop driving, comes down to ability to drive safely. California requires a drivers test to renew elderly driver license. My mom passed her drivers test at age 95 and stopped on her own after heart issues. My Dad was going blind at 90 and stopped driving. Neither parent had any tickets or accidents. Tom

The Inland Empire includes Riverside county and 1/2 of San Bernardino county a very large area with only a few bass lakes. Diamond Valley is the largest with shore access and rental boats. Excellent bass fishing. Skinner lake gets lots of recreational use but decent bass fishing. Perris lake is decent with shore fishing access. Not knowing what city you are near makes it difficult to recommend the North San Diego lakes being within your driving range. SoCal lakes are pressured and finesse is the key to success. Swimbaits work at times as most other Delta presentations. Tom PS, Last Chance Tackle in Hemet near DVL is a good source of local bass fishing.

Made my Viper head jig mold in 1971 and caught 100’s of DD bass including my 5 PB’s on that jig. Tom

5’7” ( the runt of the litter).Dad; Scott-Irish 50%, Mom; Western European 50%. Tom PS, Mom was a DAR, arrived 1705 .