WRB-2.0

Having written more about jigs then most members we have discussed hooks, head shapes, weight and trailers. Skirts have been discussed usually colors and strand count for silicone tabs. We talk about hair and marabou feathers. So let’s discuss what a skirts does and why use all of the above. What does a skirts do on a bass jig? We agree it adds color. Why would you use living rubber skirts vs a silicone skirts or hair? The answer may surprise you! Jig skirts change the rate of fall without changing the jig weight or shape. Hair or feathers fall the fastest because the material folds tight to the body providing a streamline shape with water resistance. When hair or feathers stop moving landing on the bottom they flare out appearing to be alive. Living rubber skirts are the opposite the rubber strands puff out when falling through the water column slowing the rate of fall and have a lot of strand movements looking alive on the fall. Color is limited. Silicone strands are somewhere in between fall faster then living rubber and slower hair or feathers. Silicone strands don’t provide a lot movement itself but colors are unlimited. Silicone skirts advantage is color appealing more to anglers imo then bass imo. Jig skirts are important for the above reasons but it’s the combination of adding trailers that completes a bass jig. Tom

If you fly to your destination and the lodge transports you to the lake that is safe. If you tow a boat into Mexico that is extremely dangerous! Tom

The only loop knot I will use is the Perfection loop using live bait hooks for off shore big game fish. Fresh water I use Owners Hyper weld snaps. Size 1 for line under 10 lb smaller lures. Size 2 for deep diving crank baits. Everything else tie direct to the lure eye using the San Diego jam knot or Palmar knot. The problem with loop knots on lures with a lot of movement is the lure wears and flattens the line, snaps solve that issue. Tom

Yep, more then once it haunts me😔

I put a 8mm glass faceted bead between the bullet weight and hook to help protect the knot and add sound. I haven’t used the 5133 larger then 2/0 w/ 1/8-3/16 oz for finesse 6” Roboworms. 3/0 I use 4107 Cover Shot hook with a bead. Tom

My 1st realization my hearing wasn’t good was at a Christmas program that had bell ringers from very small high pitch to big bells with low pitch. I could see the bells being shaken but only hear the middle bells. This was an eye opener and had hearing my hearing tested and needed aides. Surprised how many words we hearing incorrectly without aides. Never wore ear protection driving fuel race cars or shooting during my youth. Tom

The Otay bass happened in 1971 and fishing a point away from the bank where another boat was double anchor near shore. The ran back toward the bank and that doesn’t happen normally only thing I could have done was apply more pressure. The Castiac bass I was back seating in a friends boat and he got too excited forgetting to more the boat away from the point. I didn’t see Gary standing next to watching the bass with a net. Only thing I could have done was seeing Gary sooner and telling him to get out into deeper water. These giant are extremely strong and fast and take advantage of mistakes. Tom

I lost 2 potential world record LMB. The 1st was at Lower Otay that wrapped my line around another boats anchor line. I didn’t see that bass but a highly skilled angler in the other boat did saying it at least a 30” bass. Because I didn’t see that fish it doesn’t wake me up at night. The 20+ lb FLMB happened at Castiac lake at trout point and I clearly got a good look at that bass that broke me off going over the point and remember every detail as if it just happened. This is my nightmare bass that wakes me up 32 years laters. Tom

I have 1 rule with a gun shoot to kill. It shouldn’t be used as a warning device. Tom

Hackney is always has good jig fishing video’s👍 Tom

The Owner 5133 Down Shot hook is a modified sickle bend hook with about .033D-.034D wire forged bend, very strong and light weight, excellent to hook set ratio. Owner 4107 Cover Shot is a Sproat bend hook with keeper barb, .038-039D round wire, strong medium weight with good strike to hook set ratio. I use 5133 for both drop and slip shot rigs. The 4107 for finesse T-rigs with sliding sinker. Both are excellent weedless rigged finesse soft plastic hooks. Tom

My wife calls it the organ recital😎 Tom

What techniques do you need help with? Tom

Looks good, not a fan of the short fore grip swimbait rods, better then nothing. Tom

Moving a lure with the boat is fishing. Trolling is the standard technique tuna and marlin fishing, trolled thousands of miles. Tom

I use Owner #5133 size 1/0 or 2/0 depending on worm diameter. This is a Down Shot off set hook light forged wire and strong yet light weight. Roboworm ReBarb Gamakatsu hook also works good for weedless rig. Tom

Trolling for bass requires a developed skill to keep the boat in the same depth while varying speed to produce strikes. For example the life zone depth is 12’ you need to follow the 14’ contour line doing a lazy S pattern crossing over the 12’ line back to 14’ while the structure is constantly changing. You are going along a fairly straight shoreline approaching a point what do you do? If you go straight the depth will get too shallow and snag the lures! You change direction going an out deeper so the lures continue along the 12-14’ depth. This often requires going straight away from the point while looking for bass or bait dragging the trolling lures through the fish. If you catch bass work the point before continuing along the opposite side of the point then continuing following the contour depth. This takes skill and keeping on top of where you are going. Boring catching bass…hardly! Tom

Contact Mike at Roboworm he knows who stocks that color or will make it if you buy 100. Tom

Before tournaments outlawed trolling it was the primary technique for anglers to catch bass on plugs(diving crank baits). I use trolling as a method to teach new bass anglers how to learn what diving crank baits feel like when a bass strikes or is hitting something like the bottom and how deep the lure actually dives. Good technique fishing new lakes and covering lots of water in the strike zone. So yes I troll at times for bass mostly trout in fresh water. Tom PS, strolling is trolling with the trolling motor😎 Tom

Knowing when to holdem or foldem is the difference between losing or winning. Age old question, coin toss works😎 Tom

Reels Made in Japan are preferred but I am OK as long as it’s not made in China. Tom

I am going to try custom Puff Ball living rubber made on my viper jig. The morning dawn color is intriguing and looking for trailers is a challenge. Tom

Sorry to hear about Bo haven’t heard from him in awhile now know why😢. I started making my own design jig because football heads snagged rocky areas where I fished. Modified the head into a viper jig that goes through rocky areas and stands the hook up about 30 degrees for better strike to hook set ratio. I made this jig in 1971 and tied mostly buck tail hair for over 50 years and caught all my giant bass using this jig. Tom

Jig color isn’t as important as weight and head shape. Bass will detect a jig moving near them and ignore it if covered with weeds. Color selection matters more to the angler then the bass, so use a color you have confidence with. If I told you that white with green back was best would you use it? Tom

The only time I changed line was night fishing. Ie; using 12 lb FC during daytime and 17 lb FC or mono at night because the bass aren’t line shy at night and shorter casts. Spinning tackle stays in the rod locker at night! Tom