WRB

Big swim bait is a term difficult to define today. Length is one factor but width is rarely discussed and very important. Big bass avoid eating bluegills wider than you hand because they swallow safely do to spiny dorsal fin get stuck in the throat. long and skinny big swimbaits like Deps or Huddleston are easy profiles for bass to eat. Tom

Fish are not high enough on the intellect scale to have a temper to be angry. Territorial protection shouldn’t be confused with anger. Crayfish (crawdads) are high in protein as a food source, don’t know where your information is coming from? The majority of giant bass caught in California were caught on live crawdads. I am an exception using jigs that replicate crawdads because jigs allowed me to cover more water and not anchor. Tom

This will sound silly but to catch big bass you must fish for them where they live. Can’t catch em if you don’t fish where they are at. For whatever reason became fascinated catching the biggest bass where I fished. Study big bass habits and learned everything you can about them. For example big bass are females. Female bass are their heaviest weight prior to spawning or “pre spawn’ and feeding heavily to add body weight to get them through the spawn cycle without feeding. The big females don’t eat once they start laying eggs. The big bass will protect their beds but that is a makes basses primary duty. Target the big girls before they go onto beds! Big bass ear high protein prey and avoid spiny prey like bluegill. Sat what big bass avoid eating bluegill!….yes! Big spawner’s will attack any egg eater like bluegills but not as a high protein prey source! The big girls prefer softer ray less spiny prey fish and crawdads. You want to catch big pre spawn bass use lures that replicate their preferred prey source. Tom

I will be 82 in July and inside looking out I am 22 and still love to fish. Still can get up at O’ dark 30 and get ready to fish. My balance isn’t what it was but I believe in my fishing skills, casting and working lures, detecting strikes. No longer have my boat so must rely on back seating. Tom p

Catching old big fat bass using jigs. Tom

Most pro bass anglers are at their peak between 30-45 years old and a few stretch that to 25-55 years old. Rick Clunn the exception winning in his 70’s because he could fish and stay focused 3 days in row. Ever since Lowrance put the green box on the market finding bass became easer for each generation taking advantage of sonar technology to locate bass. It is now the same as it always was location, location, location to find bass regardless how it’s done. We age and our ability to carry the torch disappears before we know it. Tom

Pure Fishing owns Fenwick and the rights to 3M Nano resin used in high end rod blanks. The World Class series Fenwick rod are made with the 3M Nano resign so the blanks are every, the overall rod build is questionable. Tom.

They offer a light weight glass. Tom

Should be easy to add 1 1/2” aluminum angle fastened to the sides of the existing storage boxes, to support the lid, use 5/8” marine ply wood hinged at the bow platform and coved with carpet for a lid. Making a hole in the front deck support for the rod tips. Add a step at the cockpit end could be a shallow cooler. Tom

Check out your local Coast Guard regulations having bow riders ( your kids). Only other option may be using rocket launchers like the kayak anglers use. 5 people in a 16’ boat is 2 more then it’s safe. Don’t want to sound like lecturing you but you need a longer boat. Tom

What are the red cushion used for? The dual consul takes up a lot of space so I would consider removing the passenger side consul to extend the storage box lengthening the top surface to accommodate your rods. Tom

Welcome to BR👍 What area in Ontario? Tom

I fish Texas rig with a bead and sliding bullet weight. Worms anywhere from 6” to 13” straight, curl and ribbon tails. Most common weight is 3/16 oz for worms 6” to 7 1/2”, 1/4 & 3/8 for larger worms. Hooks prefer straight shank 3/0, 4/0 & 5/0. Tom

Ponds are small and the ecosystem fragile for predators like bass. Over population vs prey supply impacts ponds quickly. Lake are larger bodies of water with a diverse ecosystem with more predator fish the bass competes with to survive, over population isn’t a problem imo. I occasionally get the opportunity to fish private lakes without any fish management and very little fishing pressure. These lakes are well balanced producing bass of all sizes including big healthy bass. A few of these water storage lakes are approaching 100 years old. Regarding C & R with bass stored in livewells for hours there is a higher post release mortality rate then most bass anglers recognize. Trophy or PB bass often end up being shown off and over stressed/ handled ending dead. Over population in lakes isn’t the issue imo . Tom

Been bass fishing since the mid 50’s before reels had drags and used Langley 330 & 340 reels. My preference is having a casting reel with smooth quite retrieve and comfortable using. Back when Abu Ambassador reels came out with red 500 followed by 5000 the reels were heavy and gear noise uncomfortable reels to use. The introduction of the 2500C and 4500C reels became out and became My go to casting reel until changing to Daiwa TD HTiA reels in the 90!s. The Abu Ambassador reels required polishing the gears using tooth paste to quiet them. Some good oils came out like Rocket Fuel that helped. I only use Daiwa and Shimano casting and spinning reels the past 35 years no reason to change. Tom

Lot of lactose free or low lactose dairy type foods. Being gluten free is more difficult but doable. What I experience when traveling aboard is their food doesn’t affect me negatively like our local food does, especially regarding gluten impacting my arthritis. Horizon lactose free milk is good and fruit gelato in lieu of ice cream. My problem with gluten is my love of good bread and pasta being pre diabetic and don’t like our domestic gluten free products. Eggs are lactose free and most meats and vegetables so that makes up most of our diet. Catt I know you will adjust and get back to everything you like to do soon. Tom

If you can find a Major Craft NAC-T681M/SI Iovino Slash-It 6’8” MMF rod is what I use with SLX 70MGL reel for my utility rod 1/4 to 1/2 lures. Tom

I recall Hite doing a show on Hartwell lake using the round rubber mop jig Tom

Musky size black wooden Jitterbug works good by adding a small screw eye with CPS spring to attach 7” straight tail black worm for a Rat lure. Same mod on the 5/8 size with 4” worm. Best time for me was dusk. Tom

After down sizing and selling boat/tackle container becoming occasional back seater with 5 rod/reel combos and 2 tackle bags. A terminal tackle bag and a lure tackle bag. Easy to stay organized with minimal tackle. Tom

I lost my polarized glasses prescription glasses 10 days ago and needed a pair quickly for a trip to New Zealand Monday. Costco came though with updated eye exam and picked the glasses yesterday. Exam and Oakley frame glasses under $200. Tom My optometrist couldn’t see me until March!

Suggest you give the bass a break for awhile. Drop shot clear cold water try Roboworm 4 1/2” straight tail midnight and Jackall Flic shake 4.8 in Cola. Wacky rig both. Tom PS, dark colors work good in cold clear water in lieu of more traditional transparent colors used in warmer water.

Wax only makes it worse! Warm soap and water then clean with a tooth brush. White vinegary and warm water following the soap and water. Tom

Stress over time damages the CMC joint and arthritis set into the joint. Steroid shots reduce inflammation and physical therapy helps to reduce pain and keep the joint moving. Surgery is the last step to polish the joint removing spurs. Being a gymnasts in my youth my hand joints along with shoulders and spine were over stressed and arthritis is a chronic condition I deal with. Advil helps, Voltaren and CBD and exercise to stretch and keep the joints moving become a daily routine. If you have surgery then a soft brace needs to be worn until it heals followed by therapy. Using a bait casting reel with incorrect hand motion will over time stress the Thumb CMC joint. Watching pro bass anglers today most have incorrect hand motion. Your thumb should be facing towards your ear at the top of the casting motion and end up with the reel handle to the same side not with your thumb on top of the spool. The twisting of the wrist to rotate the reel over stresses the thumb CMC joint and wrist. Tom

You may not be able to cast 4” & 5” unweighted Senko with MHF casting rods with either brand referenced. Suggest looking at MF casting casting rods. Tom