skipper19

9.9 is what I have for a 22ft-4000 lb center console and it does ok. I think that it is the minimum for that size boat. I sometimes could use just a little more for the heavy seas and wind over 20 mph but it works. 9.9 has the added advantage of going on horsepower limited lakes too if you want to swap it around to a smaller craft and fish lakes like Hemlock. Mark

super line braids are the worst for fleas, if you do not want to respool, use enough flea flicker or 30 lb ande to go from the rod down to the ball at least. The line that runs vertical down to the ball is the most likely to get large flea infestation. I have gone from braid off the rod and reel to FF or ande down to the ball and back to flouro for the lead off the ball. This requires a lot of splice knots like the albright and be sure to trim any loose ends tight to the knot or you get fleas on the knot. Also FF is not very knot friendly, so be careful to tie the knots very intricately. That is good for your downriggers, now for dipsey rigs just use the 30 lb ande if you stick with mono, but for depth and no fleas use wire, copper or stainless, they get the job done. You will be fine till the water warms up to 70 or so. some areas get worse than others at first. Mark

Nice pics Musky, I like Rays dash organizer, kinda reminds me of some of the cabover trucks I see in the truck stops Mark

Oh my...next you'll be havin a martini with blowboaters

Stan , I see the secret weapon.....it's in the tackle bag.....next to the net....is that....could that be.....Chinese food or some laker snacks ... Nice Macs guys Mark

Nice convict bass...(stripped pajamas)

i got a web cam on mine Pete...how bout you? we can shoot live action to each other...oops don't tell ray, he will show his buffy method Mark

Tag, I can vouch for Sprint broadband as to having an excellent coverage across the country. I drive 18 wheeler coast to coast and have internet access everywhere, in the deserts of the west, the mountains, and everywhere even my phone cannot get signal , I still have broadband. Sometimes it is low band, but most times it is 3g high speed. I have not tried the hookup out on the Lake as yet, but I am sure that the service will be there. As for cost, it is a flat 59.99 monthly rate with no restrictions on data up or down. No roaming charges when on other systems either. also a nice feature of the broadband modem (SIERRA AIRCARD 595U) I have is the use of free GPS real time tracking that can interface with my microsoft streets and trips program. I'm sure it will also work with other navigation software by just configuring the drivers to accept the modem in a designated usb port. It is the same cost per month as Sirius weather but like you say it has the advantage of useing the laptop for many other duties including sending real time video via web cam or pics uploaded from your digital camera of all your fishing action. E-mail and chat with your buds on here as well. Another low cost and very effective weather monitor I have used is an application for your mobile phone or blackberry called My Cast Weather Mobile http://www.digitalcyclone.com/products/ ... st/faq.jsp. It can give you real time lightning strikes to help you determine if a storm approaching has the danger of lightning. It has the ability to locate you in any location and give you live updates in radar and text form in many zoom ranges so you can watch wide scale weather patterns in your area. It only costs $4 a month and is well worth the investment, since you probably already carry a cell phone on the water with you and then all you need is a data plan from your carrier to make it work. Hope this helps, Mark

New York fuel has had 5% ethanol for years. Now 10% and I just heard this morning an advertisement in the state of Indiana, the farmers organizations out here are pushing the EPA to make all fuel 15%. I have used Lucas fuel treatment for a couple of years now, in the big truck mostly, but have been using it in the Yammy 225 two stroke and Yammy 9.9 four stroke without any problems and it works to remove water and condition poor fuel quality. Starbrite was introduced to me a few weeks ago by a marine engine dealer and he said it is wonderful stuff, especially for the ethanol based gas that gatthers water condensation and settles to the bottom of the tank. Phasing most of the ethanol together with water to the bottom of the tank can only lead to big problems, especially in a two stoke engine. I havn't tried it (Starbrite) yet but it's gotta help I believe. Mark

The boat is a key west center console from North Carolina, my friend the owner of the boat is a welder so the aluminum tubing and penn fishing reels made a good planer board system. The reels are attached with stainless hose clamps around the stainless tube. He put countersunk rod holders on the bow and the angle is perfect. The penn reels are spooled with 100lb test mono for the boards. great idea i was looking at key west boats, they are nice. from what I could see of the bow rail and top of the console rail it was similar to the bayliner I had.

Nice looking lakers Curious to know what the setup on the bow rail is there in the background. Planner board masts? Made from level wind reels and aluminum tubing? Looks cool. What is the boat you are on? Looks like a center console...maybe a bayliner trophy? I had one and traded it in Spencerport last year. Thanks for the pics...good job...lots of Lakers this year so far. Mark

I once used a couple of 10:00-20 truck tire inner tubes lashed together, blown up real big and tied plywood to it and used a paddle to get around. It was quick and easy and very light, but paddled a little hard. Hillbilly raft Mark....(Maybe four tubes for more stability...and fatarse boyancy )

Beautiful Very very nice Mark

Bull trout? hmmmm, we got bullheads and they are sorta the color of your trout. brown bullheads. Do they sting?

Nice fish Pops Lookin at that sounder screen out there is akin ta bein at the drive in movies in January, I figured. Mark

Competing for the ice breaker 101 award, are we Stan? Mark

yup....what Jeremy and Tim said^^^^^^

Good fishing Rod Bar has been good for everything lately. Lots of slimy mud poopers this year. Keep your wash down workin Mark

Great lookin fish Pete Good job Mark

Saturday was good when the waves were kickin in the afternoon. Had good action with the kings and Lakers. Actually I think it was Saturday that Yankee Troller went by thrashin the waves as we were hooked on a laker that gave us fifteen minutes of fame on the LOC board. Lakers we got weren't too fusy about the presentations. everything went for them. Mark

Saw you goin past us Yankee. Mick and I were in my center console with the outriggers off the t top. we went 5 for 7 all lakers 9 to 12 lbs and one salmon took off on us and left Mick with a big tangle on a spinny on one line and his lead core . All our action was from 50 to 60 feet just east of the red can. Mick's wife was aboard at the time you were goin by fightin a fish on an "untripped Dipsey" Oh well and it got off along the way Mark

Very sorry to know of your loss, Jason. Godspeed to your healing fellow LOU'er. Mark

Bugged out eyes are always a good attractor too!. Should work behind a spin doctor or protroll flasher. Try different Flouro leader lengths to get the right action. start with 18 to 20 inches and watch the action beside the boat at 2.6 to 3.0 mph. shorter for quicker.... longer for more sweep Mark

They are a little pricey for what is involved with the kits, but when you get free parts and free shipping and the backup of the product like I have experienced it's well worth it....and yes the running back and forth will be over...I love mine. Mark

great lookin catch there ZBD