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eastcoasttransplant

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Posts posted by eastcoasttransplant

  1. I bought Torpedo Divers for this year and here is where I see their application other than stealth rigging.......

    I run a 17ft boat that can get tossed around pretty good in any kind of chop. Last year we were taking fish on our standard dipsys and deeper divers, some small fish, some large, but in rough water our dipsys would trip just after setting them in position. We figured the releases were too loose for the choppy water so we tightened them up to just were they would not make a false release, which was still pretty tight. What happened next was we would hit a small fish that would not trip the release and have to fight the small fish and the dipsy all the way to the boat in choppy conditions. Basically.....it stunk!

    My thought is that by deploying a Torpedo Diver in choppy conditions i could still get the depth needed but not have to worry about false releases or shaker fish. This is where I think the application will work for my boat.

  2. This thread is funny because on another site it was said that the earlier Walker Divers has issues with the welded ring on the back breaking apart. Apparently, Walker corrected the problem with a stronger "S" type connection but if you have the earlier models you may want to replace the welded ring with a heavy split type ring.

    I had a few of the older Walker Divers and broke the welded ring rather easily. I replaced the weleded ring with a large split ring and have had no issues or worries since.

    As for colors, I like the metallic green and blue and always a few glow patterns for deeper fishing.

  3. Hey guys,

    So today my wife and I made it down to the Tinley Park show (nice event), met HondaCat and then went looking for the famed Pastrick Marina.

    Now I have a 17fter that I keep up in Winthrop Harbor but have been told that the coho bite in southern Lake Michigan is outstanding in the next few months. Some have suggested it would be a good idea to trailer my boat down that way and fish there for the first couple of months until the fish make it up to the Waukegan / North Point area.

    My questions begin here.....it seems like the most direct way to get down to the Pastrick area would be down the Skyway but that becomes pretty costly. Therefore, I'm not sure if it really become viable for me to make the run south. What do you guys think?

    Secondly, unless you know the area, there are some not so great looking spots when attempting to get to Pastrick. What might be some good options for me to consider?

    Also do any of you know a place to keep the boat overnight or for a weekend instead of constantly trailering the boat back and forth to winthrop Harbor?

    In the end, I'm just trying to figuing out if fishing the sourthern end is really something worthwhile for me or if it will end up being more of a hassle.

    Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks all.

  4. I would say DO NOT get the manual downriggers. I have used both over my time fishing in NJ and now here in IL and especially when you have a limited crew electrics are just much simplier to use. You can find good deals for used electrics online so definitely check there first. If you puruse the internet fishing forums each has a for sale section where some great items go up for sale at discount. PM me for a few of those forum addresses.

    Best of luck.

  5. In looking at the few threads and seeing the wealth of knowledge here, I was thinking it might be nice to share a little information about ourselves potentially in an effort to help others.

    It's nice to know someone who fishes the same area as you, lives nearby or wants to bounce info off of one another.

    Here's the basic format I was thinking of for those who want to share their information:

    Name:

    Age:

    Residence Location:

    Area(s) Most Often Fished:

    Years of Experience:

    Boat Size and Info:

    Boat Name:

    Feel free to supply as little or as much information as you would like and feel comfortable with. I just thought it might be a nice starting point for those who fish the same waters to get to know each other and perhaps begin an information share or something similar.

    I'll Begin:

    Name: Phil Metz

    Age: 36

    Residence Location: Palatine, IL

    Area(s) most often Fished: Waters off of Winthrop Harbor, Il and Kenosha, WI

    Years of Experience: 2 months on the big lake but 31 years on east coast saltwater and freshwater locations

    Boat Size and Info: 17ft Tracker Dual console with 115hp Mercury outboard

    Boat Name: In Too Deep

    My wife and I relocated to Illinois 3 years ago and after spending a few years on shore decided to pick up an aluminum dual console last year. We launch most often out of North Point Harbor in Winthrop Harbor, IL.

    Due to circumstances, we only had the boat out for the months of July and August but did well enough to be excited about this coming season.

    Over the years I've done everything from kayak fish saltwater bays and marshes, shark and tuna fish off the Jersey coast to tying flies for finicky east coast trout.

    Now that we have the boat there's a whole new realm of possibilities. Looking forward to an exciting 2011.

    Thanks all.

  6. Ok so it's no secret that this will be my second season (first full season) on the big lake.

    Due to circumstances, I only used our boat for the months of July and August and had it pretty much wrapped up in September. The engine was winterized and the leads removed from the batteries. I realize I will need to recharge the batteries, and check all the safety gear (VHF radio, etc.) but is there anything I should do separately when running my first trip out this season?

    Basically, do you guys take extra time to warm up your engine, baby the engine for some time before going full throttle, adjust speeds as opposed to just sticking to one trolling speed primarily? Anything else you would recommend?

    My boat has a 4 stroke 115HP Mercury and while I think I'll just take some precautions on my first trip back out, I was just wondering if there was anything else you guys recommend.

    Thanks all.

  7. Check out In-Fisherman for an older article about fishing way down deep. Mark Chumura on the Michigan side regularly fishing deep and has set up a program to do such. Heavier riggers, balls and releases are needed fishing real deep but it can be done.

    This year i am trying an 11" paddle with a home made meatless teaser rig. we'll see if that can get them to go in deep water.

  8. Rod Holders and FishFinder are still available.

    Rod Holders are $15 or best offer.

    A little more about the FishFinder:

    Lowrance X50 Dual Sonar Fishfinder (Working unit with all hardware and cables included)

    Use for two months last season on Lake Michigan. The unit came with 2010 Tracker Boat package but I moved up to a larger unit with more pixels

    Asking $100 or best offer.

    Buyer will pay shipping charges.

    Please send pm if interested.

    Thank you.

  9. Hey guys,

    So this year, when my father-in-law comes out from the east coast, we plan on fishing a few days on Lake Michigan and a few on Lake Winnebago out of my 17ft dual console.

    Never fishing Lake Winnebago before, I'm wondering what we might expect as far as the fishing opportunities? Anything to particularly watch out for? Anywhere you guys suggest i could gather further information about the lake and it's fisheries?

    I purchased an inland chart of the lake and also just bought a Navionics chip that covers Lake Winnebago. Fro what I've read, walleye seem to be the number on fish that anglers go after when out there and the overall depth is pretty shallow.

    My father-in-law is planning on coming either late March or late April. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks all

  10. Hey guys,

    So this year, when my father-in-law comes out from the east coast, we plan on fishing a few days on Lake Michigan and a few on Lake Winnebago out of my 17ft dual console.

    Never fishing Lake Winnebago before, I'm wondering what we might expect as far as the fishing opportunities? Anything to particularly watch out for? Anywhere you guys suggest i could gather further information about the lake and it's fisheries?

    I purchased an inland chart of the lake and also just bought a Navionics chip that covers Lake Winnebago. Fro what I've read, walleye seem to be the number on fish that anglers go after when out there and the overall depth is pretty shallow.

    My father-in-law is planning on coming either late March or late April. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks all.

  11. Hey Tim,

    You're on Chitown-Anglers as well....correct???

    I'd be willing to meet up and go over things with you either during the off season (now) or as soon as you get the boat out of winter storage.

    BTW....you said you didn't try the boat but you did test the motor...PLS!!!

    Give me a shout and we can go from there.

    Oh, I see this is from 2010....but you can still hit me up if you need to go over anything.

  12. tacklebox3.jpg

    tacklebox2.jpg

    tacklebox1.jpg

    Large Plano Tackle Box $20

    rodholders1.jpg

    Cannon Quick Strike Rod Holders $15

    rails1.jpg

    Stainless Steel Boat Rails $40

    (40 1/2 inches long, 1 1/2 inch rise, 1 inch diameter tube and 2 inch diameter base)

    fishfinderface.jpg

    fishfinder1.jpg

    Lowrance X50 Dual Sonar Fishfinder (All hardware and cables included) $100

    swimladder2.jpg

    Three step portable boat ladder $20

    Available for local pickup in Palatine, IL. Please send pm if interested. Thank you.

  13. The ball won't really "bite" into the water as much as a planer or dive bomb.

    What you're suggesting can be done for sure. Guys up north, near Sheboygan and beyond, regularly use ball weights off of boards. The things is, as with most spreads, you're lighter weighted rod sure be the farthest outside and slightly back from the rest of the presentations and the heaviest weighted rods on the inside and closer to the boat. That helps reduce your tangles.

    Now throw in the chute rod........once you start running so many rods you run a greater risk of tangles (no rocket science there). Your spread is weighted and staggered so that the rods move to the middle of the transom after hookup. Throw a chute rod in their and you now have a presentation that is directly in line with where your hooked fish are going. If your chute rod is weighted heavy enough, the fish will pass over your line. If not, you're line is so far back that your hooked fish will end up crossing the line and becoming a PITA.

    Thus, most guys I talk to forego the chute rod. Will it catch fish....absolutely, but will it eventually cause tangles.......probably.

  14. Wow, now I see I'm missing rod holders...LOL.

    It's usually only me and a friend on my boat and I usually run two cores, two dipsys and two riggers. If I get another person in the boat, I'll add either two more cores or two more dipsys and may stay with 8 rods or stack a rigger.

    I asked the question about ball rigs and chute rods and most stated that while it will produce fish, it can result in more headaches and tangles than it's worth.

    My real issue with rod location and set up it that with the addition of the bimini top, windshield extension and sides (during cold, wet weather) I really only have the back half of the boat to work with.

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