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Something with an ID about 1/16" smaller than the bait you want to use. It stretches a bunch, but I just want it snug, not cutting off the worm's circulation. I mostly use trick worms and Senko clones for wacky rigging, so I only use 2 sizes. We use "hoses" for bluefish, which are dyed surgical tubing cut diagonally on one end. I just cut those with a razor or scissors, You can also get it by the foot at surgical supply places.

That's a lot of good information gleaned in only 2 months. While I don't agre 100% with everything in there, it's obvious you've put the time in with an open mind, and are listening to what the fish are telling you. BZ!

I don't like the O rings, I use slices of surgical tubing, allows me to hook the bait parallel or perpendicular, and I can hook just the tubing, or the bait also, much more versatile, and I have a ton of surgical tubing laying around from salt water fishing. In a pinch, small rubber bands (kiddie hair or old school dental ones) work well.

1. No. 2. snaps yes, snap swivels no for bass. 3. Yes.

Yes, every body of water has a rhythm, and smaller bodies have more stable and predictable ones, but it's oh so much more involved than just a given time window.

Put a little blue loctite on the threads, and let it completely dry before screwing the cap back on.

I've done both the solder and epoxy thing and they both work ok, but I find it easier and faster to just tie a Palomar with some 12 lb mono, clip both ends flush, and then slide the mono to the open end of the eye.

The gooey grey stuff between the ears of LMB guys. Fishing is fishing.

I'd rather use the lead portion of the lure vs the plastisol portion to effect fall rate. The trailer I prefer handle the bulk and action.

Yup, we cleaned thousands of fish while working on charter boats, and just needed a few passes on the stone every so often. They make a bunch of different ones, for small fresh water fish a thin flexible blade one in one of the shorter sizes will do nicely. Not lot of folks know that the character Dexter (great show, terrible ending) was named after a knife.

Done!

This ^. 6-10 lb mono (I like XL), or 10-15 lb braid (I like original PP) will get you in the ball park unless you are doing something extreme.

Yeah, same here. A bunch of guys get them for their 90s beaters cause they don't need to pass emissions.

I use water to lube fishing lines.

Depending on the contour of the lake and how low it is you may or may not get a lot of intel, but points, breaks, edges, cover and like said above, anything else you might see. We had a lake lowered to fix a dam for 2 seasons, really opened up my eyes, and as a plus, concentrated the fish when it was lowered. fished completely differently.

So went on a group bike ride today in SoMD which included a few of the roads that lead to Smallwood, and made a stop there. FLW is there and there are guys pulling boats everywhere. Anyway, PSA: secure your rod socks better. I am now the proud owner of 4 found miles apart, and since I don't baby tackle, I have no use for them. None of the cyclists could guess what they were.

Not a fan of the squirrel tails. I use the plain or tie the same feathers I use on poppers when I want a longer larger profile. I usually cut one point off and fish them as a double hook. I also throw a fluke or the like on the back of them and slow roll them sometimes.

Yes

Sure, if you are comparing apples to apples. a glass rod can have the same power and action as a graphite rod. The difference is going to be in the weight and the recoil (recovery) speed. We routinely set 7/0-13/0 hooks with glass rods and mono no issues.

I have a few older GL3s and to me they fish very similarly to my old St Croix Premiers, haven't used either in years for anything other than catching bait, ok all around "don't impress, don't offend" sticks IMNSHO.

STOP! Do ya'll just love to argue? I don't like to list my cv and qualifications, but in this case, for perspective, let me just say that I am a former life guard, Navy SAAR swimmer, and charter boat deckhand. I have rescued about 20 folks from the water, including 3 while fishing and wearing Grunden bibs and white fishing boots. clothing and footwear will in most cases inhibit one's ability to swim and or float, are there exceptions? absolutely, garments and boots will trap water and or air. Most of the time they will trap water, and that's a bad thing. Combine that added weight with inhibited motion, and reduced propulsion and that's a bad day in the waiting. Sure if you fall off your bass boat in the middle of summer, and you have 3-10 feet to get to the boat in calm conditions, you're going to be wet and embarrassed and probably nothing more. Do the same in the winter in white caps with a buddy that doesn't know how to run the boat, and you can have an entirely different outcome. Now move to the ocean and you are probably gonna drown or come close to it. Be safe out there, and don't count on what you saw or read in the InterWeb®.

Knock, knock... Who's there? LMB guys fishing with fluoro...

No.

No feathers on walking baits for me, poppers yes, nearly always. Tie direct to poppers, always. On walking baits, tie direct, or a split ring depending on the actual bait. Loop knots are one of those things I never do.

Yes, there are differences in the lines themselves, as well as the diameter of a given "lb test" label. For a given diameter, XT is stiffer, has less stretch, and more abrasion resistance than XL. I still use mostly XL on spinning reels, and BG on bait casters, which I prefer over XT.