Priority1

Thumbs up to the Seafoam. I been using it for a couple of yrs. It's a great stabilizer also.

I have big boards but seldom run them. I use rubberbands for releases on the Big Boards. The Offshore in lines with their tel flag system will detect a small perch or a weed better than anything I have tried. You can make your own tell flags. One draw back to the Offshore in lines is the std releases that come with the boards SUCK. The flag kit comes with the red heavier releases. For Walleye they rule. I had my 4 yo grandson watching the flags on the boards. He didn't miss too many fish ons.

I use these Offshore boards to pull Leadcore also. They would NOT be my first choice for that job, but they work sufficiently. I don't use the Tell Flag system trolling for Salmon.

I will often run a glow program on a choppy lake with overcast skies, too.

The glow finish on Lyman plugs is awesome. I like running them with the Moonshines for the glows.

My crew and I have termed that time in the sun just starts to kiss the surface of the water in the evenings as the 'witching hour'. It just seems like the next hour, you'd better watch out!

Jason, Did you ever notice the sound the sun makes when it touches the water? Like putting a hot poker in a pail of water. TCHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

DRATH, when running lead you are supposed to let all the lead line out,

I'm not sure but is this where, "Get the lead out." came from? I have been hearing that all my life.

The Tawas Bay is open except along the point. The State Docks, as well as the DNR ramp near the State Police Post, are still ICED IN.

Small boats can launch @ the Tawas River Launch. The river mouth is always filled in with sand so you may need to lift your motor and push across it with an oar. Be Careful.

The AuGres River Launch is still iced in. BE CAREFUL.

Priority1,

I use a wide heavy rubber band on my nets. The kind that they use to hold fresh broccoli together at the market. Just slide it onto the end of the handle and push the net bag into it. I like it better than a release, I can hold more of the bag in it.

TY McFly I was thinking along those lines.

One thing to do is keep the sonar away from the VHF radio.

Welcome aboard Ryan. I know you will like it here. It was nice chatting with you yesterday in our chat room. Just give a shout if you need any help, on site or off. See ya on the Bay.

Laker Speed 2 MPH or less. Lakers like it slower than Kings, and if you are running a Dodger program they work best at about 2 MPH. I also like the Dodgers and cowbells. Sometimes I would bounce bottom with a beat up old cannon ball on an inside rigger, with nothing on it. The adjacent riggers would be about 3 to 5 ft above that bouncer. About anything can be run behind the dodgers or cowbells. I used to have an olive drab peanut I bought at Keerl's Korner in Harrisville for 50 cents. The lakers would just hammer that peanut. I never really liked to target the lakers, but I have, and my bros and and I won a tourney out of Harbor Beach doing just that. Those Pigs can sure mess up a boat. If my gimbal bearing starts squealing I just catch a couple of LT and it's good for the rest of the season.

Don't overlook the glow Js, Cowabunga. I super glowed some last year, and ran more of them than the spoons.

We have cheese go moldy all the time. Thanks for the tip. Going to try it today:)

Mike

Give it a whirl. No more blue cheese here. Vinegar has been used for centuries as a preservative. I never had a dill pickle or bottle of ketchup up go bad.

Vinegar is also good for medicinal purposes. Dilute some apple cider vinegar in warm water, and drink it when you have a sore throat or a cold. Eating a dill pickle will also help with a cold or sore throat.

Eat Chowder and Dill Pickles.

I run AVAST anti virus. it updates daily and it's free to non commercial use. It runs out also but all you do is go to their site and get it again. Don't let the word free fool you. It is an excellent anti virus program. Businesses have to pay a reasonable fee for it. Here is the link for a home download.

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

The glows in low light do a number on them. I keep some glows out even during the day if I have something running deeper than 60 ft. We had a quad going in Manistee Aug of 06 with only two of us onboard. This was before sunup. with nothing but glows out.

I love chowder. The cheesy chowder recipe made me think about cheese storage. If you ever had cheese go moldy in the refrigerator this may help.

Take 1/2 of a paper towel sheet and fold it to about a 2 or 3 inch square. Moisten this sheet with white vinegar and put it in the shredded cheese bag or in with a chunk of cheese. The vinegar will not alter the cheese in any way, but you will never have moldy cheese. A Cheesy Grin.

I was wondering if any of you guys have tryed one of those magnet deals to put on the net that hold back the bottom netting untill the fish gets in there. If any of you have tried one of these I would like to know how good they work.

I was going to do something like that with my nets this year. I have seen guys put releases on the net handle to hold the net bag. I was thinking along the lines of some sort of rubberband to hold the net bag until the fishes weight pulled it free.

Here is a link to the tutorial on uploading and posting pics here.

http://www.greatlakesfisherman.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219

I hope this helps.

Welcome aboard Bob.

I just yell FISH ON. Like Mike said it's Universal. If someone can't see a Rigger rod up in the air, or a rod pounding with fish taking line, I just throw their A$$ overboard. All joking aside the number system is good. I don't have numbers on mine but I will usually yell "Port Dipsy" or "Starboard inside board". If you make it too easy it will not be any fun to watch the Fire Drill when you yell "FISH ON"

I would run mine in a V pattern to but I think it is to close to my side ones, so i run them straight back till I get a fish on then i will put them in a V pattern.

Richhhh:D

Rich, I don't mean the position of the riggers when I said V pattern. My inside ones are pointing to the back and out and downs pointing to the sides, just like yours. I refer to the position or depth of canon balls as being in a V pattern or inverted V pattern.

A V pattern is when the inside riggers are set the deepest.

A inverted V pattern is when the outside riggers are set the deepest.

This terminology is just the way we always talked about our setups. Every crew or team has their own terminology. We must talk different on the East side of the state.

Cazz, the back of mine is set up close to the way yours is except for some rod holders in the center. I also run my riggers in a V pattern with the inside riggers set the deepest.

Mike, That is the coolest pic of the two bros catching some ZZZzzzzzzs.

Cazz, LMAO if BS was $, you could quit your job. I know you're good Cazz.

Reasons I like netting off the corners. Swim platform and cooler takes up a lot of the stern, as well as riggers and rod holders. If I'm going to net a fish off a corner, that out and down is swung to the rear on a 45, unless the fish came on that rigger, then it gets swung straight back. I do have a lot of rod holders to move things around so even my low diver may get moved temporarily.

Don't you just hate it when a green King charges the boat. Reel like heck and hope it swims in the net.

Does anyone use a Gaff??

That is so cool. Like Cazz says, it's nice that you wife fishes with you. My wife is scared to death of the water.

Welcome aboard Bill,

I fish out of a 22 Starcraft Islander HT. I fish mostly on Lake Huron, and it's Saginaw Bay. I consider AuGres as my home port, but my boat seldom gets slipped. I live near the East end of M55 and head West to Manistee about 3 or 4 times a year for some Salmon Slammin. I have M55 down pat. Join us in the chat room Wed about 8 PM. I know you will like it here. If you need anything just shout. I hope to see you on the pond. Manistee is my favorite Lake MI port.

I was just curious about where most of you like to net your fish. I have netted off the stern when it's necessary, but prefer to take them off one of the sides near the stern. Depending on what side the fish came from, and what side has the least gear out, it just seems easier to me to shuffle a couple of rods and net the fish off one of the corners. Sometimes it's impossible to call the shots. A good helmsman and net man can make or break a fishing trip. An experienced person on the rod helps also, by putting the fish in the net. I'm just putting this out there to see how most of you do the netting.