Rascal Trophy Fishing

Great products, thanks for joining and support.

For info. and two sizes to choose from call George at Creative Canvas in Ludington, his number is 231-843-1671. He makes them for most of the locals and has vast experience with sea anchors/drift socks too.

Just fyi guys, there's several hand-held battery operated hook sharpeners on the market now. The last ones I bought were called Hook Honers, nice, economical, and easy to use. They usually do the trick, and don't shorten that point to the barb nearly as fast. They also make it much easier in waves to sharpen the hooks fast.

The use of the valuable tools of the GPS, chartplotter, and Fish Hawk have taken a lot of guess work out of the old formulas we used compared to todays tools. I recommend you buy them, as you will increase your odds greatly for hooking up. Otherwise, the old method of fishing a particular structure, was to experiment at differing depths at bottom and riggers/divers. One common tool was to look at your lines: are they way out from the transom, or are they crooked/sideways to the boat, or are they in tight and straight? Currents, temperatures, and bait can change quickly at times, varying within 1/8th mile or less. Other times it's consistent for a couple of miles or more. Don't be afraid to change course from uptrolls to downtrolls, or crossways to the waves. Watch the lines and see what works best on any given day, it never stays the same all the time.

You guys call them drift socks? We always called them what the coast guard called them, required safety device for a charterboat too, sea anchors. They come in several choices nowadays and sizes too. Makes for a lot more stable and slower troll. Caution: there's a trick to running these with any boat. I recommend you start the experience by using them when it's calm, so you get used to them. You don't want them getting into your prop, under the boat, or tangled with lines/divers, using too old/lightweight rope, and make sure you have a collapsing line secured to firm cleats or railing. Lastly, when you know you feel uncomfortable with higher and higher waves, just go back to safety dockside. No fish is worth being capsized or sank.

Just an early heads-up for the 2014 season ahead. I will continue to offer the same pricing as the revised rates of 2012 for anyone interested. Dockage rates will be: 20'-24' sized boats at $900/season, or $100/wk., 25'-29' sized boats $1200/season, or $150/wk.. Rustic camping also available with a boat slip for same weekly price. In 2013 we also made some nice changes as follows: 6 piers for 12 slips were lowered down by water so they are now 24" off the water instead of around 48". This will allow many that previously had a hard time boarding at the dock much more ease and safety. The mens room also got 2 new toilets, the boardwalk had many boards replaced and pressure washed, parking lot got some fixes, and the wood picnic tables and wood everywhere got repainted too. I truly appreciate all the patronage and wish everyone good luck catching. Capt. Ed.

They look to be in great shape too. I haven't seen a jointed (two-piece) plug in quite a while either. They used to work real good too. Good luck, great deal. Btw, I counted 64 twice, counting the griz you might keep, lol.

Might want to try for St. Joe?

Very good and important maintenance question Matt. The above comments pretty much cover the important aspects of this often overlooked safety device.

Welcome to the GLF site Justin. Another way to value a boat is with a marine surveyor, he can also do a full inspection for a few hundred too. As for a trailer, if you're going to move that boat across state twice or more per year, it might be a good idea to start looking for one on CL or Boat Trader. Also, check out the storage guys in your two areas, they may have one for sale. It will pay for itself quickly, and you will be the boss of the time and dates to move the boat from now on. Good fishing, nice upgrade.

Thanks for joining mj, sounds like a great boat, would be helpful to have some pics. too. Good luck.

Being that I and many other fisherman want to catch and "keep the fish for the table", I haven't had any good luck with them. If they come on a lure I want, I'll usually pass, or replace the circle hook with a catching hook. Had a friend and customer put those red circle hooks on new flies some years back, the flies worked well, we all complained about the circle hooks breaking on big fish, so, he replaced them.

I've used them for many years and think they give the angler an advantage over dipsy types. Every day can vary with how the fish bite, and the length of the lead from the ball or diver to the lure will make for hookups. Slide Divers give you that edge in lead lengths, without having to retie the entire setup. Heavier weights are also giving the angler greater depths when the fish are deep. Try them, you'll like them. Welcome aboard Tim, great question.

Boat looks new yet, welcome Don.

Great products and people, welcome, and thanks for the support.

Nice looking boat, any price?

I agree and have the same policy as the posts above. I would like to add these circumstances to see what you guys think: 1) what if the customers show up all snockered up/drunk? 2) what if the customers completely forget the date? 3) lastly, do you deduct the time they are late from the scheduled hours of the trip, or still run the trip full amount? My answers are as follows: 1) send them home, reschedule new date with a new deposit, or forfeit, 2) forfeit the deposit, 3) deduct the time unless they want to pay extra. This would strictly apply to new customers. Old repeat customers might get a break on time and forfeit, if they have reasonable excuses, and I have the time that day. Thanks.

That's a great deal for the new buyer Jon, I'm sure it won't last long.

How about the old Michigan squids vs flies nowadays. I found a couple dozen new ones stored away 3 seasons ago, and started using them, worked well too. Remember the glow froggies, glow clowns, yellows, blacks, and silvers, not to mention the white glows. Lots of oldies like new yet shouldn't be sold at garage sales for 25 cents, just used again. Personally, I think there is just toooooo much on the market nowadays to choose from, and we all spend accordingly to update.

Glad you joined JD. You're questions are always faithfully answered on this forum with courtesy and fact, good fishing.

Sounds like a very worthy project to copy in Michigan too, thanks Larry.

Nice video, and aptly shows how dangerous billfishing can be at times.

Hi Dan.

Jason, Eric now owns the Slide-Diver company he bought from Randy's siblings. He's been a mate and capt. in Sheboygan Wisconsin for several decades and knows his business. He's worked on the invention, and has perfected it's usage. The original owner Randy ran a charter that ONLY used slide-divers off a long mast that he perfected in the 1990's. It was a sight to witness this kind of fishing, and it was very successful too.

Hi Mike, thanks for the input on Commanders. They are awesome boats, but yes, the pocketbook hurts when you fill her up these days. 454 big block Mercs are hard on gas mileage. I've got dockage, depending on the time of summer. The first couple of weeks of August is surely a cluster. As for motels, Snyders Shoreline overlooks the channel, but is very high priced. The Nova and Vista-Villa are nice, and cater to fishermen, and are reasonable, but not on the channel. PM me for any details you want to pursue. I've got an older Benmar AP that serves me well for fishing and cruising, it's a valuable tool in all respects. Here's a couple of pics. of the cockpit dockside. Thanks.