Broadhorizons

I got a couple at Slippery Sinker in Olcott this spring. I'm with Vince, this is not for C&R.

IDN, check your PM's.

They probably got bored a the pierheads dealing with the "other boaters" "Can I see your flares? What flares, I didn't know I need flares. Can I hear your horn or sound signaling device? Umm ahh, can't I just yell? Can you turn your navigation lights on for me? I have lights on this boat? Can I see your fire extinguisher? Why do I need one, I'm on a lake full of water?" I think that would get frustrating. From my experience with DEC officers, most don't like writing tickets. The guys I know get more satisfaction out of checking people and finding out they have everything in order and are following the laws. It shows them that people care enough about their activities to look up and follow the rules. I was at Wright's Landing one time and 4 teenagers showed up with a 11 or 12 foot tin boat. They were unloading the boat from the back of the truck at the launch and the DEC Officer came over to them. He said "Now before you guys head out, lets make sure you have everything you need to have for that boat." The kids didn't have everything they needed and packed back up and left. Sure it ruined their afternoon plans of rowing around the harbor with their girlfriends but now they are informed and didn't get any tickets. I guess if it's all about revenue, he could have let them get 20 feet off the end of the dock and called them back to check them since they would have been in violation at that point.

If you compare the bottoms of the Slider vs Dipsy and Walker, the Slide divers number settings are .5 higher for the same positions of the bottom plate. I've been using the Precision trolling charts but setting the slide diver on say 2.5 to use the chart for a 2 setting, 3.5 to use the 3 line of the chart and so on. Comparing diver bottoms: Slide diver bottoms are numbered: 0 1 1.5 2 2.5...... Dipsy and Walker bottoms are: 0 .5 1 1.5 2.... for the same position of the bottom and weight. I believe they dive/bump bottom the same as the equivalent size diver if you look at them this way.

Last year, I didn't have a probe for my old fish hawk that came on the boat and wanted to just upgrade my system in the spring instead of buying a new probe first. So, I would also suggest running a thumper rod with a dodger/fly to give you some speed indication. You can also ask on the radio what guys are running for GPS speed AND direction to achieve a good downspeed. "2.4 GPS on a West troll for 2.2 down" or "1.8 GPS on an East troll for 2.4 down" You can also ask for information on how deep the temp is. Fish Doctor charters has a video on "reading" a thumper on his Video Tips page. He also has the wire knot and rigging a thumper. http://www.fishdoctorcharters.com/template.tpl?selector=video Sandy Creek or Sandy Pond? Good luck,

And... you're one step closer to getting a big boat Vic. Nice fish Joe, bigger than what your dad catches right?

Border, Good to know. I'm getting better octane from now on. Thanks,

My manual for my 1995 Mercruiser 4.3 states for Fuel Recommendations. I'm not saying it's right or wrong to use higher octane fuels though. Fuel Ratings Mercruiser engines will operate satisfactorily when using a major brand of unleaded gasoline as follows: US and Canada- having a posted pump Octane rating of 87 octane minimum. Premium gasoline (92 octane) is also acceptable. It also states to avoid alcohol gasolines for all of the known reasons and it mentions that the alcohol can clean the lubrication off of the internal metal parts causing adverse wear similar to your problem. I use Stabil ethanol treatment (white label) with every fill up and haven't noticed any problems. No water in the separator either. The big bottle is about $20 at Walmart, not much when you think of the cost of the 300 gallons of gas it will treat. Good luck,

That sounds like the best method of PT. Glad he's doing well.

Way to go!

Just got email notification for the PM but no PM. Maybe computer hackers should take up fishing or at least take a long walk off a short pier.

We were probably all fishing out of Mexico Bay so that's why I thought it may be some interference from material in the water. I hope this past weekend was just a fluke, I'll see in a couple days.

I had the same problem on Saturday also. It did start working after about an hour and a half, just about as soon as I got the thumper rod all rigged up and in the water for some speed indication. I have never had a problem with the unit until that day and I did not have a problem at all on Sunday when I was on Oneida either. I was wondering if I needed to increase the gain because of fleas and other stuff in the water. I didn't try it on Saturday because I didn't have the manual with me and didn't know how. When I got to that point, it started working anyway. I'll try it on this coming Saturday and see if anything changes.

They look like Verno spoons, made by a guy that used to work at Oneida Ltd. I'll have to dig through the boat to check mine to know for sure. I think the owner of Phildon's bait shop in Oneida told me the guy lives near Rochester now and still makes them. They use them on Oneida jerking lead for walleye and in the Adirondacks also jerking lead for lakers.

How hard are they to bring in with the double keel? I've been thinking of trying the Otters, Amish, or Aurora's but my homemade boards are a bear to pull in already. On the other hand, mine don't pull too bad right now. Has anyone used and compared two or three of the above-mentioned makers? I know everyone likes what they have over homemade but has anyone compared board for board of these three?

Just wondering, what did Humminbird service say about the unit crashing?

Or how about using a tether line/grab line like on our big boards to hold the release at the rigger while the cable is let down. A bolt snap and string to the boom should work clipped under the roemer. The snap should keep the release from dropping like on our planer board tow lines.

Tim, If he doesn't want the bag, I'm interested. Let me know.

The general rule is put the deeper running lines closer to the boat and the shallower running lines further from the boat.

Mike, I've been using Scotty's also. The downrigger release size. I have 10 feet of 50# mono spliced between the copper and the braid with swivels. I hook the release as close to the copper as possible that way you know where to look for wear from the release and retie. I've never had it false release but the shakers can't pull it free. I haven't had anything bigger than a shaker salmon or steelie hang on the release.

My hands get irritated from the flesh of the salmon and trout. I can handle the whole fish in the boat but as soon as I cut them and come in contact with the inner juices or meat, my hands get red and itchy. Tomorrow I'll pay attention if the fleas bother me too. I haven't notice the past couple weekends but if they did get irritated, I probably figured it was the salmon. I wear rubber gloves when filleting salmon and trout, I'm not bothered by bass or walleye though.

Have you checked with Atomik? He might still have some, I got 2 GTi's from him this spring. If you or Kevin need one for this weekend you can borrow mine just give me a call.

I run 13# torpedos and a 15# shark. I don't think any of mine have much trouble. I have 2 old ones that are pre-short stop and 2 newer but still old.

Sounds like a good trip. In that area try fishing Copperas Pond for lakers. You'll have to hike in and fish from shore/wade if you don't have a raft or canoe to carry. It's between Placid and Wilmington. Love that area.

Guys, I called a DEC fish biologist in Rome today to ask about this. The first thing he asked was if I notice a yellow fluid and an odor. He said they had more frequency of this in the Early 2000's, nearly 1 out of 60 fish in the Hatchery. He said they tried a study on it and did not find any determinate factor that caused it other than possibly some sort of infection or other injury. He said some they would find in the spawners were larger than a golf ball and here was no sign of any injury or scarring on the outside of the fish. He said that they should be fine for consumption. I think I would have a hard time getting it cooked though looking like that. He also asked if I encounter this again, to save the fish if possible and he would like to look at it.