TheKingfisher

Hey we had fun, thanks for putting it on. Can't wait for the next event. I was pretty happy with our 5th place, but only weight 2 fish in the second event really stung hard...

We are planning on being at the 3rd event

I'm no physics guy, but based on my scuba experinces I'd say it'd be a lot deeper than your fishing. The decent rate will drop off, but I don't think it was stop decending all together.

Yeah I can't wait, finally a decent weekend coming up. Looks like my trips will likely be Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Monday AM from Port Sheldon.

Oh yeah, and as for Deadliest Catch, havn't missed and episode in 3 seasons!

I've got the rigger that my kicker motor sits underneath tied with the Scotty Braid line, 200lb test. I just used a palamor knot as well, it's been on there for two seasons so far. I check the line every so often but havn't come up with a reason to tie it so far, i'd like to hear how long others leave the knots.

It works, and I havn't had any problems, but for me I won't be switch my other riggers over to it. I havn't seen any major advantages, perhaps a little less blow back, but not much from my observations. I hear people go back and forth on the noise and vibration issue so I don't know about that, but the fleas are terrible.

I like having it on this one rigger b/c the rigger reaches out over the kicker motor, so just in case the line got up in the kicker motor I gotta think the result would be not quite as disasterous with the braid than wire.

Yeah not looking good... I just talked with a friend who it out of Grand Haven and he says it's pretty accurate on the 3-6's today, and miserable. Not to mentioned there just doesn't seem tobe any fish. He's got 38 Degree water all the way out to 200 FOW.

When will the insanity stop???? This has been the worst spring I can remember! I need to fish or I'm going to go stir crazy!

I have the cores setup about the same as Silver One does above, I use the Berkley Big Game line in 20lb.

Given that this weekend will be our first time fishing this year, I'll likley get skunkend! :-)

This is my first year in the tourney, but like people have said above, seems to be a pretty open and helpful crew because it's more about fun competition than anything else. That's why we signed up.

I use the Convector 45 for my cores, full cores will ride on the 45's with no problem at all. The large handle on the convectors is nice for the long disteance fights also.

Here updated pictures with the name on the boat finally, and the new cockpit layout with the SubTroll in place. We also added a set of bird tree's and two more small TraxTech rails for some extra holders on the side.

Had it out yesterday for shakedown and eveyrthing works just like it should! Can't wait to really start fishing!

Tad Pole-

Lets hope that the just transfered the data over for you. I owuld think that shouldn't be difficult for them to do. Yes we have the LakeMaster chips, your are right they are awsome. I'm likely going to be buying the computer software for my laptop soon as well.

TadPole-

Our GPS has been flawless we love it. I'm almost afraid to ask what's been going on with yours, as I don't want to jinx mine! I think it's a great unit, works fast, easy to use, good display. We looked at a lot of units and for the $$ setteled on the Lowrance. We got a pretty good deal on it.

I'll get some new pictures up this week. We've added a SubTroll and have put the name on the sides and rear of the boat now as well. Now if the weather would just shape up I could get it out on the water!

We just used the terminator's provided by Moor on ours. I'm not familiar with the walker, does that metal peice extend all the way through the release? We use the Scotty Pinch releases that extend from the back of the cannon balls for releases.

we mounted our unit and probe this weekend. I just stuck with the instructions and am fairly convident in our crips on the included cable terminator. Just to apise myself I have it hanging in the bard right now with my heaviest weight attached to it. Can't wait to get it in the water and start useing it now!

Thanks for the feedback, sounds like several of us have picked up probes for this season!

We've had decent luck with flat fish, I have a couple 'new' ones and several 'old' ones that an old salt gave me that he's had since his orginal boat (the Ark I think). I've fished them off the riggers in the fall for stageing kings around 2.0-2.2. They've caught fish, but I wouldn't say any better than plugs or spoons.

We mounted out new SubTroll up yesterday. I'll have to get some pictures, but we decided to go up on the dash right between the sonar and the GPS. It's easily seen from the back of the boat because of the big needle analog display and the helmsmen won't be in front of it for the most part. So all the info that is needed to keep us on the fish is right in front of the helmsman, and easily visabled by thoes working the back of the boat.

Now to just get it in the water!

We just put new cable on the riggers yesterday, includeing one rigged with the SubTroll coated cable. All we did was put the spool of new cable on a heavy screw driver, and I wore 2 pairs of heavy leather gloves. I applied tension to the spool of wire as we let the electrics take on the new line.

That's what I've done in the past with no problems, just kept tension on the line as it is going on.

Yeah I use the FlyTrap boxes as well. work nice in the tubes.

I've been told by several Honda people that our 15HP Honda kicker should be running approx .2 GPH at trolling speeds on our 23 foot Islander.

We picked up a SubTroll at the GR Sport Fishing show and I was in the boat yesterday trying to figure out just where I wanted to put it... So...

Anyone have any tips on mouting a SubTroll? I know the basics and I can read the directions, what i'm looking for is things like 'oh I did this and then wished I hadn't' etc... Just practical advice.

Also, thoes of you who have them are you useing the coated cable that is included?

Thanks.

Frank- yes all good points you absolutley right. If we made any changes it would be with the direction of our local Honda dealership. Right now the prop on it is the stock one it came with, but the motor we have isn't the 'kicker' specific model so it has a more standard prop. From talking to the dealership last year I have should have some options that will work in higher pitch, I just need to get the boat and motor in for them to take a look at and see what options they actualley are.

Nope never fished Ontario, I've fished Michigan, Huron and Superior.

As for motor placment, yes it can be troublesome. We kind of got lucky and our Scotty Down Riggers have a pretty long boom. So when we fish I extend out the boom all the way and then since we're on swivel bases I just kick them out to make sure nothing bad gets into the prop on the kicker. I also went to a braided line on that rigger, I don't know if it would make a big differnce but I figured if the braid line were to get into the kicker it'd be better than wire line of the rigger? I don't know, didn't want to actualley test me theory...

Has anyone taken the time to put together a list of the 'optimal' speed ranges that the manufacturers recomend their 'stuff' run at? Such as spoons, flys, spinnies and other attractors etc?

I was going to start a list of this information for the stuff I have, but thought I'd ask and see if anyone else had yet?

Any autopilot is better than no autopilot! Our autopilot right now is my Dad, oh wait I guess that's no 'auto' is it... bummer...