Adjusted3

Answers- 1--no 2--no 3--Depend on the bait, normaly, 75-100 back 4-yes, depends on the waves, adjust the weight for proper tracking. Mark

Excellent post!! I agree, my main complaint is someon tieing up the dock at 5am rigging lines, getting the engine warm, waiting for the ast crew member to show, etc. I have fished many years with Steve A. We have it down to a "t". We get to the ramp early and rig in the back of the parkng lot, head for the ramp with one of us at the helm of the boat and as the truck backs the boat in, we never slow down. As the boat is going in the water, the engine is fired and the boat backed off. We float out in front of the ramp allowing others to use the ramp. When the driver returns from parking, just nose the boat to the end of the dock and allow the driver to step on the boat and back away. We do the same with the retrieve. But, As the driver of the truck backs in, the boat driver steers onto the trailer. As the boat goes on the trailer, the driver of the truck continues to back down so power loading is not needed and you more or less float the float on the trailer. Hook the bow and out you go. Practice comes into play. Spending more then 5 mins at the dock on either side is a no-no. Again, nice post. Mark

This is Ned & Dave Mull. Wyle-e-coyote I believe. Mark

Joe, Excellent advise. Rather then rely on photos, learn your fish. I am still learning. I caught a juvinile Atlantic last year in a tourney and was well informed what it was at the weigh-in. I actually thought it was a Coho. Mark

As much as we hate to do this, we need to change to Sunday. Saturday is going to be unsafe. Looks like most of you can fish Sunday but after several calls today, times are an issue. Sunday is calling for east winds and 2-4 but with east winds the inshore will be calm. So, here is the final— It will be Sunday. We are making a few time changes with the switch to Day-light savings and to assist those that have a bit of a drive. We can start anytime after 5am and the stop time will be 11:30 am. Weigh in at the lodge at 12:30 to 1:00 pm, lunch will be served around 1:30. No hard feelings if anyone has to scoot right after the weigh-in. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please call my cell or 2-way Steve or myself. Mark & Steve

I never paid much attention to the gas. I get about 3 1/2 8 hr trips on one tank. This is with a 17' Lund and a 140 4 stroke. But, gas is the cheap part of the fishing. Filling the boat with gear and the boat itself is where the costs come in. Mark

Yep, we are watching the weather all day today and will look at the am Thursday report. Mark

Mike, you do not need to be at the lodge before. We do have an issue that needs addressed. Steve and I have been looking at the weather for this upcoming Sat. It's not going to be very pretty. 10-20 out of the north with showers in the am. 3-5 for the seas. We just realized our blow date is Easter weekend. We are considering 2 items. NO DECISION has been made as of yet. If we cannot hold this event on Sat, Sunday the 2nd is looking very good weather-wise. 7-9 mph out of the ESE and off shore seas at 1-2 and sunny. Are you and your crew availible to make the change over to Sunday if need be? Do you want to just change this thing to this Sunday or do you want to shoot for Sat and if it blows, go to the 15th? Please call anyone that is in this and get their opinions. Tomorrow eve, we will make the call based on everyones response. I know doing so we may pick up a boat or 2 and loose a boat or 2. If we change to the 15th, the same is going to happen. I am just trying to hedge our options knowing that Sunday will be a fishable day and this Sat is starting to go into the toilet. This is everyones league....... Please post up your opinions ASAP if you are in this event as to what you would like to see. Mark

Here is who we have so far- Danger Dan Reel Turner Fist full of Dollars Running Arends Crew- He-Chris, GreatLakesfisherman Adjusted3 Crew- Live2fishdjs, Creek Chubb The Fishdog Sixshooter Catfishhoge DonP Crew-Spanky, Donnie Sidfishious Salmonslayer Crew- Asian Archer Leprechaun (the other BEN) Horseshoe Fishon Caznik Crew-Karl Dykema Stienfishski Crew-Fishinfox Midway Crew- RatCityHooker, Huntingfool43 Looking for a ride Tauzigg Tgils Tracker1 Please list up your crew members so that we can assist with those looking for a ride and it will give us an idea as to how many for the BBQ. We are getting close. As we get closer to the 1st, we will start to put up weather reports. IF the event is called, we will do it by 8 PM Friday before the event. Those that have Steve’s cell/2-way or mine are welcome to call us that eve. Let’s get those boats ready!! Mark & Steve

The wire divers are one of the best set-ups on my boat. #1, they are a blast on a fish. You can feel the eyes twich on a fish, zero stretch, makes a 10lb king feel like a 30. 2nd, I believe that the vibration of the wire does attract in the fish. 3rd, my largest fish last year was on wire with kingflashers/twinkie/cut bait. Just an awesome program. Mark

Try StickerJunkie.com Mark

Hey everyone. We are about 3 weeks away from the Brown Blast. This is out of St. Joe Mi on April 1st. Same rules as from prior years with a few tweaks...... Start anytime but no earlier then 5:30am. Stop time is 1 pm. (change from prior years) Weigh in is at the lodge. Most of you know where it is. If you don't, I can have Steve post up a map or just follow someone to the Lodge. We would like to start weigh in at 2-2:30. Just 2-way or call if your running a bit late. Weigh in you best 1 man DNR 5 fish. 5 point bonus on each and any Browns in the catch. $25 entry, $5 of it goes to the SMALL fish and that fish does not have to be part of your 5 (change from last year) 20 boats and your dink could be worth $100.00!! 100% payout - 3 places and big fish. Same % as last year. No cull- this is a bit different then Caz's league. Our no cull is that if you hook it, It goes into your possision limit. no boatside releases. You cannot release a fish unless it is ileagle, (laker), you are filled on that species or it is undersized. 9 rods maximum of a 3 DNR limit. no maximum of the number of anglers on your boat. Lets get the crews listed and the ones looking for a ride! Running Arends Adjusted3 The Fishdog Sixshooter Next, would you guys like to do a pot luck or a BBQ or a fish boil? Steve & I will take care of the BBQ 100%. Pot luck and the fish boil involves all of you. You folks pick! Mark & Steve

Jon, We have a show special on wire rods right now. Send me an e-mail at [email protected] and let me know exactly what you are looking for. The special is only good till the end of the month. Mark

Jim Most excellent article..Great Job!! I too resisted adding lead to the boat. Now it is the first rods in and the last out. I made a believer out of Midway this past fall in Manistee. We took 9 kings in about 1 1/2 and all of them but 2 came on cores. Thanks for the great article!! Mark

Actually--- I adjust the weight. If just a mono highline with a spoon, I will move it back 1 tipping the board back. Running a core, I will move the weight foreward +2 or more to compensate for the drag of the core so the board tracks level. This works very well in rough water. This is the jist of the adjustments....

Mike, Same with the St. Joe league... Pick any of our dates other then the Brown Blast and the June walleye outing and we will provide the facility and you run the show. We will all abide by any decisions that you make. Mark

Rich, Yes, the wire statement was a light hearted attempt at a funny. I guess the statement at policing it was an issue that I do not want deal with in our league. I don't want any issue with "they fished that way, He did that" issues....We like the KISS system. Run what you brung....have fun. Mark

One of the major reason that there are various tourneys that ban cut bait is that the manufactures of the cut bait heads/herring strips teaser rigs etc... do not sponsor the event. The Pro events are mainly sponsored by spoon and lure manufactures and those manufactures want their pro boat to run their lures. It is for bragging rights and ties into sales. Cut bait works real well, and in some ports, way too well. Banning cutbait was a way to promote spoons and lures. Myself, I thought I would never put that smelly stinky stuff in my boat. I now run it on a consistant basis in addition to my spoons/lures. It is a legle way to catch fish. I would vote to keep it. One of the reasons is that way you don't have to police it. On the St. Joe event, the idea is to learn how to catch fish, have a bit of fun, meet new people, make friends and toss your 20.00 bucks in the hat. I guess we are of the opinion that we don't want to impose a bunch of rules to trip over. Now, on the bass events-- the 2 species do not deserve to be in the same thread.....but.. Bass events (and I am ashamed to admit, I just got back from the BassMasters weight-in in Orlando yesterday), live bait is banned for almost the same purpose as stated with the twist of catch-release. Manufactures placed the pressure to ban live bait, but think of all the scents that are placed into the lures/plastics and the imitations that are out there. Live bait assists in mortality of the fish and with the added pressure and arm twisting from the lure manufactures, B.A.S.S. chose to ban live bait. They now have taken it to a new level in the catch and release whereas every fish caught is GPS stamped and after the weigh in, a team of fishery experts return those fish back to the same GPS spot that it was taken. Was a very impressive system. We are playing catch and keep....whats next, banning wire rods? Mark

A better question is what your intentions are. If your looking get out on the water and have a bit of fun, about $250-$400 will do it. (2 rod combos-100.00, 2 rod holders- 50.00, 2 dipseys- 25.00, line- 10, doz spoons-60.00 and assored swivels-10.00) That will get you on the water. Now, if you want to be effective on the water......that is a whole different ballgame. I am well over 15k in tackle on my boat with rods/reels and lures and I still purchase about 200.00 a month in gear year round. It never ends... Mark

Steve & Six, I got to agree on this one. The extra backbone in a 7' makes reeling in the core sooooo much more easier. The wippyness of an 8' 6" vesrus a 7" can make the difference. I have been running 8" 6" up till late year. This year I am switching all my cores over to the 7 footers. Tell me one good reason that you need longer rods for cores! Other then the money to stock up, there is not one. I thought the same thing!!! Six, your right, at about 20 bucks a rod that is a great deal!! Mark

Six, I know your fav. port....It should be in the "Hall" of fame!!! Mark

St. Joe and the reason is that on any given day you can catch a mixed bag of fish. Ports up north and they are all about salmon. Lakers, browns, cohos and steel are more of a "mistake" then the norm....St. Joe gets great numbers of all of them Mark

I did not catch it, but I netted it for my father off my boat, 32 lb, 3 oz King on a Proking bumble bee 9 years ago. Biggest fish to date to grace the transom of my boat. He fought it for a half hour and I was getting ready to net it and it dove to the bottom ripping out 125 foot of line in a matter of seconds. Almost 45 mins to net that one fish. We weighed it at Brians Marine when at that time they had a set of scales at "Ralph's Place. Mark

I am into my 11th boat. I have owned the big ones, the small ones, center counsel, tiller, inboard, & outboard. My current boat is a 17 Lund with a 140 4-stroke. This is close to being my last boat. I will be upgrading to a 18 in the near future, same style, same brand, Mr. Pike. My current Lund is my dream boat. I can fish rivers, small lakes and have no issues running 20' miles out in Lake Michigan or Erie. I can use it year round unlike an inboard. I do not winterize it. It fishes well with 3 people on board, & I have fished with 4 comfortable. I love a 9 rod setup, and have done the 12 & 15 set up on this boat. I will never go back to an inboard. The outboards are just plain low maintance and a 4-stroke is a gas frugal. I can do four 8 hour trips on the big lake on one tank and not have any concern on that last trip. Mark

The Crawdaddy Was a nickname in highschool. Last name is Crawford. Many of my friends from years back still send me x-mas cards addressed Crawdaddy & Family! Mark