tray19682005

I agree , fuel filter, may be second one on carb. Worth checking should be a easy, low cost fix! But alowing more air in to cool motor doesnt make sence unless its running to hot. Or check oil make shure its not milkey colored then it could be blownhead or intake gasket. good luck

my boat is a 69 starcraft holiday with a 69 johnson 85horse . I have a 71 mercury 7.5 for trolling but it to has no charging system either. The battery will be 2ft from rigger so im going to use wireing that came with it from big jon. thanks to all that gave suggestions!!!!

I just installed my first electric rigger, a captians pak. I plan on adding a 2nd battery for it and electronics. I currently have an extra marine battery, here are the specs.1000cca , 115 amps hr. 180 reserve.... Is this ok for 1 big john electric and 1 gps and 1 fishfinder?Will this hold up for all day fishing? I will be running a 12lb weight.I would appreciate any suggestions, Im keeping a matching battery for main motor and running lights, I just have no idea how much the power captians pak will need ?

I use a 2 long gun case. It will hold 6 rods i just fold reel handles down , The case holdes everything tight and safe. I store a few extras under liner.

I have a shakespear, not shure of model but it ran around $70 and a solara radio . I fish out of ludington and I can on occasions overhear conversations as far south as holland and as far north as traverscity if im out a few miles! More than ill ever need but good to know in case we ever need help,my girlfriend and i fought over how much i spent on radio setup total about $150 but it will be worth every penny if we are in need of help 3-5 miles out in lake michigan! Get the best you can afford. And if antenna has metal at ferul it will only work with metal mount, ckeeck b4 you buy a plastic mount the threads are different, i found out .

Usually carmel colored water is an iddication of water leaking in. If it was gas mixing with oil there should have been a shiny,film ontop of oil after it was changed as gas floats to surface. Ive been fortunate and havent had to do major marine engine work but... carmel color in engine oil in an auto usually means leaking intake collant passage or around heads,from worn out gasket or small crack in metal. .A cheap check is to put motor in tank or barrel and add food coloring to waterrun 10 min then drain oil into clean container and see if colored water got into oil, if not and it looks good then it can be reused till problem is solved . Good luck

I bought a captians pack this fall and when i opended box it was missing swivel base? I contacted Big jon and they told me they would ship one immediatly at no charge for anything. The next day it was on my doorstep! They were great to talk to and very courtious on the phone, whith customer service like this I can see why everyone love there products! Now just have to wait till spring to mount and get to use it.

wonder bread was my hot spoon,didnt seem to matter if morning afternoon or evening we caught salmon, lake trout, and alot of small 1ft long fish on this 5 inch spoon as well some 15lbs up. I ran wonderbread on riggers and divers but they seemed to like the lead core best? Last season i only ran 1 full lead core rod this year ill be running 2 and 2half core lines.Didint have alot of luck with downriggers last year? I upgraded to Captian packs electric, cant wait to get to use these!!

I found at the ludington dunhams store they have Big Jon captians packs silver brand new in box for $300!!!!!! I have 1 in layaway but being laid off I just cant buy another now, there were 2 left as of sunday the 15th anyone wanting one $200 off thought id pass on the deal to others

way to many people dont use gps properly, I dont know if this was the case here? If you have gps set waypoint outside breakwall if you are not famuliar with area! Most breakwall accidents driver says"Icould see channel i dont know what happened?" When standing or in a high boat you can see over breakwall and here anyway most colisions are at a fast speed driver just "saw past breakwall" and hit it at high speed. I cant count how many times boats enter channel under full power then slow once inside? I for one would be devastated if i entered at high speed and hit a small boat and injured someone!! Anyway i was at light house with girlfriend last night watching sunset and havin a few beers when this occured , just stupidity,plain n simple, it was clear and other boats where coming in harbor and they just never slowed and then hit it. Too bad coast guard cant issue stupidity tickets? And no , im far from perfect, but i get angry at others stupidity when they wrecklessly endanger themself or others.

every one is correct, to get to copeien park,take washington street south about 2 miles when you go over bridge you will go up a hill at top of hill turn right and follow road down to ramps. These launches can handle any boat you have as its the ramps used by the marianas to pull all boats in fall and spring.Use the west ramp as ducks have pooped all over east launch walkway.Because of the marians it is a no wake to lighthouse, and coast guard does enforce it. If fish these several times a week if you need any info, or recomendations for anything in area contact me @[email protected] and ill send my phone number to you, id be glad to help ! Hot spot lately has been north outside state park, but fishing has slowed yesterday fish r being caught .The water temp was 63 deg down 70 ft but after storm tuesday night fish r scatered . Good luck and have a safe trip

i would keep it as simple and uncluttered as possible. When fighting a fish the last thing you want to do is trip or have no room to move .Besides simple is cheaper and less maintenes and less to go wrong,and less cleaning,and youll have more money to spend on fishing gear.

I had boat out yesterday and it over heated!!! thermostat or water impeller went out to be expected on a 69 motor lol was planning of enjoying the calm lake Mich but now have made plans to go camping instead. Good luck to all who get out and a safe return to port! Have a great holiday weekend!! I guess next week i get to work on my 69 85hp motor and hopefully no damage was done as it did make it bk to dock looking forward to another great summer of Salmon fishing

thanks tltorrice for reply ill order 2 tuesday.I saw someone else posted same topic 12hrs after me and everyone is responding to that one,but it seems they are woth the investment so i will try 2 and if i like them ill purchase 2 more.Have a great holiday weekend to all !!!

I had posted a reply about torpedo downrigger weights and I got alot of responces.Has anyone bought these? Im looking for an evaluation on these b4 I buy these.Any help would be appreciated if they really help with blowback, im hoping to upgrade my 8lb finned to these in 10lb to track deeper and straight down.But being laid off money is tight, Im hoping someone out there has tried these and can give a review if they are worth the money?

Its funny how we feel broke till we find that next fishing toy? lol I went into Captian Chucks in Ludington last fall to only buy 2 spare spoons that had been hot earlier in week and walked out with 3 rod combos ready to fish at the tune of $120 each!!! And I wonder why im no longer married? lol

for pulling dipseys you will want a rod for that purpose or it will flex to much and wont stay at targeted depth . I made that mistake and had to buy new rods for dipseys that i aslo use for pulling walley boards.The dipsey rods you will want to run as far forward on boat as possible and as tall as you have room for for a better spread to avoid tangles , taller to front of boat and shorter on riggers.As I mentioned above a good all around rod for dipseys and pulling boards needs to be stiff and designed for that use or it will flex and will be nothing but problems in calm and worse in waves when pulling boards if you want a multi use pole. I now use heartland dipseys rods about $45.00 each for dipseys and when pulling boards and if you want to make it more universal add a 3-5 core to it and its like having 3 rods in one .If you use to soft a rod it will "bounce and cause it to release or if pulling boards it will make boards skip in waves .I run 10 ft dipsy rods in front holders for dipseys and when pulling boards and it takes the work out of switching rods for different uses and helps to keep cost down for more gas for more outings. Just my 2 cents, but im shure others will also have great advice as this site is great for exchanging knowledge and ways to be more productive and learn from others . good luck to you !!!!!

4 of us went morel hunting Sunday we got about 1 1/2lbs. We searched south of Scotville and Ludington most were small but we did find about 10 white ones so Im not shure if that was a fluke or if season is that far along? But mum..... love em fried in butter!

resistance is futile! you will be asimulated.

I didnt see raptor out and have been looking for his post but did see his boat at marinia.Not more than 4 boats in all marinias but alot are staged ready to go in.We usually are several weeks behind holland,muskegion but with this warm weather and rain the next 3 days it should pick up fast.The river mouths will be on fire as soon as runoff starts hitting lake,hope to see you out there.

I tried same area thursday also with no luck.With a cold North wind and waves kicking up I went back to P.M. lake.I went to south east side of lake behind Dow and hooked 2 browns within 1/2 hr on boards on fireballs with a 1 inch strip of smelt on hook. But i couldnt get the 3rd fish, but was great to be on the water .If you fish this area and are not familure with it make 1 pass towards rivermouth but watch depth as it comes from 18ft to 3 ft very fast making a north south pass ,beware of east pass till you know it better.This is the always the hot area when the lake hasnt turned over yet.

last ludington report i read saturday said browns were in shallow and body baits were the hot lures anything orange,red ,or chrome. I havent saw alot of boats out trolling . Make shure if you come to ludington you have all required safety gear, the coast guard means well but have upset alot of locals with constant checks, I was checked and boarded 2 times in under a 4hr period Monday.They are always friendly but some just cant accept they are here for our safty. Copeyian and city ramps have been in 2 weeks now.Good luck and tight lines.

Im not shure how to add pics here , but i put some on the Salmon trout forum under my 69 starcraft holiday. I was reading older posts and thought i might have 1 maniacs old boat. As I bought this in muskegion in June 08 seems same time you had one for sale? But I see you kept it in family so its not mine . Shes not pretty but catches alot of salmon and with friends help im shure floor will never rot as alot of beer has been spilled ,poor mans pressure treatment . lol

Just curious, if anyone is fishing lake michigan in an old boat? My first boat I still have and use regularly.Its a 1969 Starcraft Holiday with a 1969 85hp johnson motor. Its not cosmetically perfect but still very solid and handles 6ft waves. Its set up as a pure fishing boat,4 manual downriggers, 2 old big johns and 2 Riverias with 4ft arms and 4 tite-lok rod holders in front for dipseys and when useing boards.I live in Ludington and cant help laughf when I see a +$20,000 boat head in when waves are above 3ft and im out in a 40yr old boat and feel totally safe.Ive had some of my best times on this old basic boat.Just curious if anyone else has an old classic on the water?

Welcome, while you are in Ludington go to "Captian Chucks" they have everything you could dream of. Owned by a charter captian and they have "I believe" everything from dreamweaver,stinger spoons and every well known maker,they also have a large selection of rods n reels they only carry quality products no wallmart stuff here and they are very reasonable priced.They will also set up any rod -reel como for you ready to fish.They have a web site that lists there prices.Another site I hear about alot is "Bretts on the bay". I hope this helps and if you are on the water in ludington ,Watch those darn Indian nets north of town.