anthonyyost

You also might want to check the manual that came with the videocamera, alot of the newer ones have image stabilization mode that is used while filming.

Grand Rapids

This is the first year that our family has drawn names for presents to keep costs down for everyone. It has alway been everyone buys for everyone, I guess this will make shopping a little easier.

New radar setup, color screen with one of those rotating doojiggies on top

how about a snowmobiling section, seems like the chatter dies down alot in the winter, might be a nice way to keep things going

beats going to the bar.

I used a couple of ProTroll uv flashers, and I had really good results, I tried to have at least 1 out every time.

Man, that's like letting a girl join your weekly poker game.

Which colors worked best for you?

It's about time

What is that in the middle of the photo in the first picture, next to the limb on the ground?

sounds like my exwife

Me too.

I think that the Mercury oil does just fine, changing the oil and filter on a regular basis is probably more important than whether you use mineral or synthetic oil.

You should probably fill the gas tanks, this helps prevent condensation from forming. Adding stabil or other type of fuel stabilizer as well as fogging or pouring storage oil into the carb while running will prevent moisture from causing problems.

I am curious about using the bags in rough water, like Mike I have two motors and using 1 to troll is fine. But when the water gets to about 3' waves, the autopilot has trouble keeping up at trolling speed. Would the bags help to maintain a course with the autopilot, and how much difference do the bags really make in heavy water?

You can still trailer the wider boats, from 10' to 12' wide all you need is a yearly permit from the state which runs about $45.00.

Anything over 12' wide needs a permit every trip, with the trip being scheduled and routed.

Depending on whether or not you have a live well, you could build an aluminum frame to mount a cooler behind the helm seat, that way you could put a cushion on for seating and also have a place for fish. I like the back to back seat setup on the port side of my boat, I have a single seat on the helm with the fish box/seat behind. If I need extra seating, folding chairs placed correctly do the trick.

21#

The rods were purchased just a couple of months ago.

Nice boat Jeff, what kind of trouble was it giving you?

Just an update, this morning Bryan Darland at Jay's called to tell me that he had spoken to the Okuma rep, and they will be upgrading my roller rods to the convector series, and replacing the reels. Good news:)

Apparently the Convector series have a stronger blank, and the same roller system as the Shamano Telora rods.

The dipsey rods are placed in Great Lakes Rod Holders that are about 9" deep on the inside. The have a cam release so that when you pull the rod towards you they release and swing up to allow easy removal of the rod.

Fish did not hit these rods when they broke, just the tension of the dipsey, given the length of service, and the timing of how all 3 broke so close together, my feeling is that the rods are fatiguing after a short period of time.

I have had 3 new Okuma Blue Diamond roller rods break off below the reel in the last 10 days. At about $185.00 per rod including the reel plus the cost of the bait, I am close to being out $700.00.

I run mag dipseys on 3, and leave the drags loose enough so they creep and if a fish hits he can take out line. I have run these rods for most of the summer, and they all broke within a week of each other. I would just be trolling along and they would break off in the rod holder.

I bought the gear at Jay's in Clare, and have been in touch with the Okuma rep, and he says that the engineers said they have NEVER had a rod break off below the reel and that it cannot happen. Therefore they will not warranty the rods, or replace the Okuma reels that I had on the rods.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

Thanks

I was having problems with my depth raider that I bought at Captain Chucks. They advised me to make sure that the swivel below the probe was able to spin freely, I had used liquid electrical tape to coat everything to prevent signal loss. I also had some nicks in the coated cable from cuts in the front downrigger pulley damaging the coating, so I cut back the cable to remove the damaged portion. I also had connected the probe via the temporary method shown in the instructions so that I could remove the probe at the end of each day of fishing. I changed to the permanent installation using the electrical tape to get a better signal transfer. Finally I put a new battery in, I would plan on changing the battery every 4 or 5 trips just to make sure I have good current.

Since these changes I have run my probe down to 150 per the downrigger counter and have gotten consistent results.