Fat Trout

More expensive but I've been running the cannon digi troll 10's for 5 seasons. I really like the soft stop and also the adjustable down speed. I also have an older Scotty 1106 rigger that I'm going to put down the center as my occasional use 3rd rigger. I've used (older) scottys before and have no complaints other than their known operational differences.

I realize this is a lot of discussion about inshore returns, piers etc but to give some East end perspective. I've fished this lake for over 30 years on the east end. We don't see the bait that is seen out west and it is definitely down from years ago. I troll over blank screens for hours. Over the years typically we never saw the early king fishing in the lake that is seen out west and our only claim to fame was the fish came east to the SR in August. It use to be you didn't see much in the way of kings until Mid july sometimes early July and in rare years May but only when bait happened to land in our area and those were still occasional fish here and there more than consistent The last few years I've seen Kings in April and in numbers and more consistently and pretty damn good through the summer....still no consistent bait but hey, I'll take the early kings and I see some encouraging bait from time to time. I've also seen more color to the water. Not always crystal clear. I have no argument on the usefulness of Net pens for western ports. However I'll only offer a box of tissues to those who think the west end is getting screwed over the east end. We never had and still don't have the fishing the western ports have spring through summer. To all who fish piers, yeah the clear water and whatever other factors is definitely a bummer. I wish shore fishing is like it use to be but I have been encouraged about how the boat fishing has improved my way in recent years.

Google "Turnbuckle on boat trailer" and you'll see some interesting examples including using chain to get extra length. Needing to use a turnbuckle IMO just means the trailer setup isn't right but it seems like something that would work and keep you....and the rest of us safe, hopefully. There's always an electric winch with cable.

Im in love with your garage! Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I looked at hewescraft and they were NOT cheap but I would have LOVED their welded thicker hull. However the big thing I noticed with the NW boats at least in the 18-21' class is they didn't have the beam of my Starcraft FM196 until you go to the Ocean Pro series and at that point you were 22' and a pretty pricey boat. I've come to find you definitely pay more for extra beam. The Ocean Pro's were just out of my league for cost. 4-6" of beam might not seem like a lot but it was important to me. As for Lund....no argument there. I think they are overpriced for what they are and they are riding the name a little more than they should (IMO) What model Hewescraft do you have?

I fished a Starweld 18 Pro for 4 seasons....no problems. Admittedly they are trying to hit a lower price point and that always comes with a catch. I recall Crestliner back when my father and I were looking at boats before we ended up with a 88 Grumman 18'er. Back then Crestliner was definitely a more expensive boat and looking at the commander series recently (before I bought my Fishmaster 196), they are still more costly than a Starweld and rightfully so it would seem as I see a few of the older ones around.

I'll also just add that without any knowledge overall of what you have, the frame of the trailer just looks kinda light for a 24'er. Is that existing winch and related trailer properly rated for the boat? No judgement.....just trying to aid in your problem solving. I have a 20' aluminum and I feel like the trailer and winch related area on my trailer looks a lot beefier than what I'm looking at in your photo. My winch pulls from the top....but i dont know if/ how it varies between winches.

If you are actually getting it tight then the problem is with the winch and I would suggest just replacing the winch as its not holding when locked in. If you are not really getting it up tight it might be a matter of backing the trailer in a little more so you are getting it up good and tight against the roller. You shouldn't need a secondary strap although the one thing I'm not seeing is a safety chain. That isn't tight and wouldn't prevent the winch from slipping but it will prevent catastrophe in general.

Not to pile on but to give a recent observation from someone else. I know someone with 27' CC. New boat and new trailer. Via some screw ups with the dealer and him not doing some of his own dilligence the trailer did not have a sufficient load rating. His initial symptom was blowing out a bearing and finding another ready to go. Keep in mind this was a new trailer and he was only going an hour each way and the trailer was only for winter storage as he had the boat in a rack at the marina. The trailer bearings went at the end of season 1. He had perhaps 3 hours of road travel. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I fished a big boat for years with my father, took a break and started back taking a 13'er out 7 miles (on select days) before getting an 18 and now a 20 (aluminum). So I totally understand where your coming from. Good luck!

If it helps.... earlier in the season the direction is usually more west (off the plant-ish) where the main lake current is and to get to 180 is def a lot less than 12 mi. 12 mi on a NW or WNW heading will get you to pretty darn deep (300+) North while good Mid August and on is usually the dead sea earlier (for salmon). Going north for mid August and later staging fish (ie North Dunes) is more like the 10 ish miles + from mexico. but is usually more of a mid to late August thing....if that helps. My early July to early august runs are max 7 miles, and at times 3-5 with a lot of that being a Northwest diagonal with a lot of protected south shore to duck toward if the predominant SW winds pick up. Oh and if you like steelhead, I pick those up on my cheaters in July when I'm running a predominantly spoon pattern . Take it for what its worth...just more data. I fish with lots of space and like it. Boats around but nobody pressing you terribly.

Hey, expand your horizons (past just September) . Early July and on can have flat water, SW winds and kings that don't have to be that far. Oh and when you find them the aren't fussy! I actually don't like the late august early sept kings as much....granted I fish them. I did kind of like fishing the even closer fish in late sept last year. you just have to be good with the combat crowd and fishing really early and / or really late.

While i agree with a lot if the adjustment comments generally, that trailer is not rated for that boat. If a tire were to go it would not end well. Always better to have more trailer than you need, but a potential big problem if you have too little trailer. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

While there may be some deal where warranty is considered as new etc and a discount is involved. im sure no dealer is passing one of these off as "brand new" as that would be fraud. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I wouldnt go that far as my 2015 18 pro was a great problem free boat. They are trying to hit a lower price point though and some of the way they did some things coulda been better. For that matter i thought starcraft did some things the cheapo way on my fishmaster 196. If the OP had a 2012 leftover in 2018 i would wonder why it was around that long and i would hazard a guess that towne marine got a good deal on it from the factory. And it never sat around at towne marine for that long. Im stretching but it may have had rework for a QC issue and wasnt used so considered new once it was reworked. It may have sat around at the factory until it was fixed. Im definitely curious. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

water into fuel is interesting / concerning. Aside from entry to tank and how that is happening I would be sure from now on (if you don't already) you have a water fuel separator. Most boats have them these days it seems. I replace mine annually out of paranoia. I had a starweld with no problems and moved to something else.

as of 2 weeks ago Dreams Come True (Mexico) had openings posted on his facebook