Priority1

Welcome Lef T. It's good 2 have U here.

I use the Walker releases and have them tightened down so the fish hook up before they release. Sharp hooks are a MUST. It is also very important to be on the rod instantly. We have also gotten into the habit of Reeling like a mad man even before pulling the rods from the holders. This is even more important with sliders. By reeling first you take up any slack line quickly. If a rigger rod goes on my boat, don't be between me and that rod unless you have it in your hand. LOL:)

I have a 6-1/2 footer I'm setting up for leadcore, but my rigger rods are 8 and 8-1/2 footers.

Yes, the flasher fly, flasher squid, and flasher spoon have been hot for quite a while. The glow stuff puts many fish in my cooler. Come on Spring.

Just another tool for the box. Time will tell, if this tool will gain acceptance. Maybe next year I'll hear all the fantastic reports on this GR8 new product, and just have to have a few. I use Dipsys, leadcore, Bottom Bouncers, Jet Divers, Inline weights, snap weights, Rubber core weights, Downriggers, and just plain old sinkers, to get my offerings in front of the fish. I probably should have some of these. By the way, I just had Perch and Walleye for dinner. (about once a week)

I said never, then maybe to leadcore. Now I'm setting up a 8 color rod and a 2 color rod. (Cazz You're a smooth talker).

Just like Tim Taylor when he walks in Sears, and views the Craftsman tools. My nipples are getting hard.

A Warm Welcome 2 U Matt. U will like it here. A lot of GR8 info on this site.

I fish the Saginaw Bay out of AuGres. I make it over to Manistee 3 or 4 times L8 Summer. I run a 86 Starcraft Islander Hardtop. My avatar looks just like my rig when I yell fish on and I'm into a King.

Frank

A warm Welcome 2 U Tony. Maybe I'll run into U on the Saginaw Bay. I fish mostly out of AuGres. I also make as may trips as I can in L8 Summer to Manistee to fish for Kings. It's good to have another East sider onboard. Priority1 standing by on 68 Out.

Frank:)

My 22 foot Islander is light, and I only have a 140 HP 4 cyl Mercruiser. Most fishing trips I average about 1 to 1-1/2 gal per hr. If I limit fast the GPH rate goes up because the ratio of run time to trolling time. I never run wide out unless I have to. I get it on plane and pull the throttle back to just maintain it. I spend a lot more time trolling, than I do running. I spend a lot of time making sure everything is in top running condition.

Mines a 86. Got to luv them Starcrafts. Mine Looks just like my avatar when I get hooked up. LOL same color and a hardtop.

FreeTime, VN Setup. I'll bet when you open that 200 up, the only thing in the water is the prop. Lund builds a GR8 boat.

I run 8# Maxima Ultragreen for the early browns and 20# Ultrageen for kings in the summer. I fish by myself a lot and have had fish take me around the rigger wire and still, somehow, end up in the cooler with the Maxima.

Been there Mark. Last Summer I netted a big King and had the rigger wire wrapped up in the net. It was my grandson's first King fishing trip, and the Salmon were giving him his baptism of fire. What a bear trying to get that mess squared away. Before I could even start to get it untangled, fish on the other side. I always have two nets onboard. Memories are made of this stuff.

lhvernon, Nice boat, and fish Capt. I like your catchy name, and everyone knows I'm partial to Hardtops.

I run 20lb Ande on my rigger and bird rods for a mainline. Flourocarbon leader on my bird rods. And 25lb Ande on my mono diver rods.

Does anyone run a superbraid on there bird rods?

Are you talking about Yellow Birds when you mentioned "Bird Rods"?

I do use 30# Spiderwire braid on my Low Divers (Dipsys). I use 25# Ande on my High Divers (SlideDivers). I wouldn't change a thing on my Dipsys or SlideDivers. They sure put a lot of fish in the box last year.

GJ Dan. What a day to be out there.

The ballast water, Sewer leaks, and intentional sewage discharges, do need to be addressed by the legislature. What gives municipalities the right to send there Sh-- downstream??? Sewage should run in their streets, if they can't process it, but NOT in our rivers lakes and streams. The big problem is the way most cities set their sewer systems up. If there were separate sewers for storm and sanitary there wouldn't be the problems we have now. Most municipalities have combination sewers. Separate sanitary sewers wouldn't need to be near as large as the storm sewers. It all boils down to $$$$. Over the long run not having to treat storm water along with household waste, probably would pay for the separate sewers. Even if the $$$ payback isn't quite there, certainly clean water is worth the investment. Many cities have opted to build retention basins, to hold storm water and sewage until it can be run through their sewage treatment plants. Retention basins help, but unfortunately they are not sized to handle the big storms. My 2 cents and then some.

I ran Trilene 17 XT for yrs, but I got a deal on some Ande 25 so I gave it a whirl. The 25 didn't seem to have an adverse effect on the # of fish we hooked. I also use my riggers for walleye and run Trilene Big Game 10 for them, and the same for the boards. The reels I use for walleye have 17# backer and about 100 yrds of 10# on top. We seldom get out much more than 100ft of line fishing for eyes.

Luv dem SeaRays. Certain Hulls are EZ to spot on the water, from far away. Sea-Rays are one of them. A Quality ride there Mike.

VN Boats. Luv that Fly Bridge.

I had a gift card for Frank's Great Outdoors, so I got my fishing lic. on that. The person @ Frank's said the fees were not going up this year. It seems like it would be hard for them to charge two different rates for the same season, but nothing would surprise me.

Walleye, Perch, Browns, Steelhead, and Lakers will be abundant. Kings will be down again this year. I will make that 3 hr trip on M55 again this year to get into the big Kings off Manistee. (4 trips last yr @ least 2 days each) Have boat will travel. I miss following the Kings up the Huron coast, but I don't dwell on what's not there. When one door closes another one opens. Last year we caught all the eater size walleye anyone could hope for. We also caught some nice hogs and released most of them. Perch have come back like I never thought would happen. Most of the perch we caught late the last few years, were puking up water fleas. So the perch comeback is helping in more ways than one.

I'm ready, but my boat is not. It will take me about a week yet to have it ready to rock. My fishing partner has a 21 Hydrosport with a 200 and 9.9 Johnson, so I guess I am ready. LOL When the weather feels right for these old bones, I'll be out there. It will probably be April before the water temps here get into the 40s. Southern Lake Michigan warms a lot faster.

In case someone wants to build one here are the critical dimensions.

TY for the heads up shu. I'll check em out tomorrow.

That's about right Mark. During the charter season, I am busy fishing, and not usually close enough to a computer to post.

But if you really want to know what's working for us, and when, how, and where.....get a bunch of guys from the site together and book a charter for an on the water seminar! Heck, book several of them!

LMAO I like this friendly rivalry. Capt. Levi would never be the same, if a bunch of us chartered his boat. The Captain may even learn a thing or three. We could leave the bar @ 2:30, be on the dock @ 4:00, and proceed to show the good Capt. how to run a chum line.

But seriously I don't drink and boat.

AHHhhhh! Yes another big ole Thompson Hardtop. You all know I'm a HT man. VN set up.