MY2SONS

Love spring and looking forward to it. But got a lot of work to do to the boat before then. I'm glad there's 2 or 3 months.

But I love winter, too. Got a mess of bluegills in the freezer Sat., got 100+ smelt last night and went ice skating with the family yesterday. Whew, I gotta slow down.

Mmmmmm. I love smelt! That sounds like a blast.

Spring I mean, but I got to get some Hard water fishing in yet, but the days are getting longer now a second or so a day, then get back on the soft water, yepeeeee .

And Merry Christmas and HAPPY HO HO to every one:laola:

I can't wait until Spring. The sound of screaming drags is a noise I can never get tired of.

I have 2 cannon mag 10 downriggers for sale. I am asking 500.00 for the pair plus shipping. They have short stop & are the faster ones. They also have extendable booms. if you are interested please send me a pm & i will give you a phone #.

Crap! I just paid that for a brand new one (Mag 10). Wish I would have seen your post earlier.

I agree with Ben. If you look straight into an LED diode, you'll almost go blind. But they don't seem to project light as well as halogens.

I agree. I'd go with the halogens.

That was my take on the whole thing. He swears by them, but I can't justify changing everything over to them not only because they're expensive, but knowing if they really work. I really haven't had a problem unless it was a shaker.

Anybody try the new rotating treble hooks by SpinTech? If so, what did you think of them? I fished with a friend that bought some, and the claim is that you will have greater hook sets since the hook will rotate, and give you a greater chance of hooking up. I haven't reached a verdict if I buy into it just yet since it's hard to determine if your improving your landing average unless you're having a big problem with knock-offs. The concept sounds feasible though. Check it out. www.spintechhooks.com

I have researching some of the posts on here about autopilots. I have a sundancer 270 that I was thinking of putting an autopilot on. I recieved a quote from north shore marina in grand haven to install the raymarine x10 corepack along with the st6002 control head and an octopus drive. I have never heard of the octopus drive. Does anybody have any experience good or bad with this?? If I upgraded to the 7000 series head control I would have the ability to do different fishing patterns. The different fishing patterns sound gimmicky to me.....but maybe I have been really lazy when I steer and they ARE worthwhile.

Thanks in advance

Doug

I was told a while back that the design is pretty good, but they're for cable steering boats. Your 27' Sundancer isn't hydraulic steering?

When you have younger children and busy schedules (and a wife that thinks you fish to much), it's hard to commit to a set date and time. More often you just hope you can go fishing.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Hey guys,

I just got called out on another site for asking my many different questions without "giving anything back".

Being a relatively new fisherman to the Great Lakes, I figured that this winter would be the perfect time to get the straight story from those in the know about various fishing techniques, gear, etc. Obviously, some feel it's their need to protect others from people like me, and to slam someone on a board for simply trying to learn more. Things like that really make people become lurkers and stop posting.

Just remember....I agree it is wonderful to go out, and figure something out completely on your own. That being said, there's nothing wrong with asking for assistance along the way.

I hope my numerous questions have not irked anyone here and if I can help anybody along the way, please feel free to let me know. I try to give back when I can and am more than willing to do so. Just let me know if there is an issue and I'm sure we can work things out.

I thank everyone for all their insight and assistance to my questions.

Thanks and happy holidays.

Why would asking questions about something most of us are pasionate about bother anyone? There's a lot of good resources on this site, and it would be a shame not to tap into those that are more experienced than others. The only thing I would like for you to "give back" would be some good fish porn from your upcoming, and past outings:thumb:.

I asked for a Forschner for Christmas a few yrs ago and wound up with a wood handled Victorinox 10" blade that would likely cut my boat in half if I got near it. I don't know what the difference is, but I see all my Charter friends using knives just like it.

I believe Forschner is made by Victorinox. They are a bad a$$ knife. I love 'em. Have four of them in my boat. Two 10" (one is a deboning knife which is a little thinner), and two 12".

It seems pretty easy to do, but I don't want to over-simplify something I've never done before. I'm pretty mechanically inclined so doing it myself would be not only cheaper, but also I'd understand how it works better than if someone else did the work. Do these units come with hydraulic lines, or is it something you have to purchase additionally since there's probably a few different diameters of lines on boats depending on the manufacturer?

Has anyone installed a Raymarine X-10 corepack on a fully hydraulic steering boat? If so, is it difficult to do? I was told by a local marina that they're quite involved, but I believe that's because they want to do the install at a hefty price. Any advice?

There's nothing like being on the water that early in the morning. Pitch black with only the low groan of downrigger lines buzzing, water lapping up against the side of the boat, good friends, and screaming drags! The hardest thing for me at that time of the morning is seeing through my windshield on my way through lake Macatawa without hitting any bouys.

Well the verdict is in, and it's going to cost 6875.00 dollars... to install new Hydraulic steering and the Auto pilot complete.... Wow... I'm going to h ave to think about this for a few months...

OUCH!

Ok who's sitting at their desk or standing at their work station, or maybe even on the couch in their DEER blind today...screwing around thinking Damn I'd like to be trolling right now!!!!! or even washing the Spoons not even getting a hit, but still fishin?????

Guilty as charged.

The only unit I know of that allows you to grab the wheel at anytime and make course corrections is the Garmin. The Garmin will also maintain the new course if you hold a course for a min. Everything else requires you to disengage the AP or use a Dodge mode on it to change course with the wheel. Even with the Dodge mode if you are tracking a course from your plotter and have the wrong way point in once you complete the maneuver the AP will resume the course right back to where you tried to miss. In a emergency you have to remember to shut off the AP to resume boat control. This is what I like best about the Garmin and Shadow Drive because whether or not the AP is on my wife or anyone on board can steer the boat and they don't have to understand how to set the AP. The search and fishing patterns most of them offer would be cool but very seldom you have enough open water around you to use them. Also Garmin offers extended warranty if you have it installed by a certified tech so there is some gain in paying for the install.

Here is the response I received when I asked my local electronics dealer who sells both Garmin, and Ramarine products about Garmin AP's.

"Yes for safety reasons the Garmin is definitely easier to disengage, but I just can’t recommend it for fishing yet. We were just at a Garmin training this past week and a dealer up in Cheboygan has six customers that use it for fishing and can’t stand the pilot. I would hold off for right now. It is a great pilot for normal cruising speeds, but is just terrible at 1 or 2 knots. We will know more in the spring, they stated that they are going to have some fixes for the issues".

No, the short cores for a SWR really don't have that much drag.

Well, just made up two SWR's for my fishing arsenal. Can't wait until I can try them out.

But why use Fluoro for backer? Regular 20# mono will suffice.

Have you ever had any break-offs with the 20# backer due to the extra drag of the lead core after a fish hits?

But why use Fluoro for backer? Regular 20# mono will suffice.

I meant to say 30# mono, not flurocarbon. I'm using fluorocarbon for my leader.

Simrad now offers a cable steered option that mounts completely below decks except for the control unit. It is for the AP24 system the only thing that I don't like about it is that I can convert my boat to Hyd steering and buy the Garmin for about the same money. Seriously I would look into hyd steering you will never like a cable steered boat again after you drive one with hyd steering. Here's the big kicker for me on the Garmin unit and that is shadow drive it allows you to make course changes with the wheel while the AP is running. Picture this your fighting a fish your wife is watching you and notices a log in the water in front of your boat she runs to the helm to avoid it. Will she remember to shut off the AP because with a Garmin and Shadow drive she won't have to. Shadow drive allows you to change course with the wheel at any time hold the new course for a min and the AP will follow the new course. Try that with any other AP and you will either damage the unit or the AP will steer you right back to what you tried to miss.

I was told Raymarine x-10 was the way to go for my boat. I haven't purchased an AP yet (can't convince the wife that I "need" one yet:no:). You can't make emergency course adjustments with Raymarine? I have full hydraulic steering. I was also told you should install quick-disconnect fittings on your hydraulic lines because you will eventually have problems with the pumps because fishermen have the sensitivity set high to maintain course at slow trolling speeds. I'm just doing some research on them right now. Need to save up some coin to get one:grin:. Boat Services in Holland wanted $2100 for the unit, and $2000 for installation! If I get one someday I'm planning on installing it myself.

Anyone know how much 30# fluorocarbon will fit on a Diawa SG47LCA reel with 2-color lead core, and a 30ft leader of 20# fluorocarbon? Have a couple extra reels that aren't being used, and would like to see if I could use them for a "secret weapon rig".

As far as catching more fish I would personally get the speed and temp probe. I went with the AP first but that was at the wife's insistence. I plan on getting a FishHawk next year. Electric riggers are nice but don't help you catch more fish, the probe does. Good luck.

I wish my wife would insist I got an autopilot first. That's one big ticket item I'm having trouble convincing the wife that I need.

You don't attach to the leadcore. This rig only has 1-3 colors on it to begin with. So you let out all the leadcore then attach your release to your mono or whatever backing you have on the reel.

Looks like I need yet another setup. This sounds like a great idea.

An SWR is just a short segment of leadcore run off a downrigger. Just let out the leadcore segment and then attach it to your downrigger release at the backing and send it down.

Have you ever had break-offs attaching to the leadcore backing? I'm assuming you're talking about the sheath that goes over the leadcore right?

I have a question about DR blow back.

I have an old old set of cannon digi trol II I thought I was up grading when I bought pancake weights to replace regular Balls. I am also running 12lbs panckaks up from 10 balls. last year I was running stacker releses and this year I'm running sliders

It still seams that I get a lot of blowback.

What is the best weights to use to reduce blow back.

Thanks Steve

I run 14# round balls.