10thMTNDAVE

Excellent last three posts!! That is the kind of stuff I am looking for. I can see myself doing these things...just not knowing any better. Having read about it, I hope to "have learned" the lesson. I have found from experience that the "Best learned" lessons are those that are experienced first hand, and usually very painfully, but hopefully some of these will sink in. Appreciate all!! Hope to see some of you over the salmon this coming year. If you see my very professional looking G3 Team boat, don't assume the owner knows more than the boat stays above the water and the fish are below. I got most of the gear, and have plenty of experience on the lake between Black River Bay down to North Pond and out to the Galloo's, My Grandpa schooled me early to know when the west wind starts to blow I am heading for the Harbor. Seems like I have read many threads with people on VHF 68, so think I will be monitoring that. My past fishing experiences were in the days before the Fleas and Mussels and regard mostly Perch, Bass, Pike, and Steelhead, using spinning gear and lighter lines and flat line trolling. New to heavier lines, fishfinders, downriggers and the line counter reels. Eagerly waiting to put my first Brown, Laker, Salmon, and Walleye in the boat...All in good time. The adventure starts just before Memorial Day and you can bet I will be filling you all in on the details with the "Newby Diaries" posts to the forum, with pictures of course. Maybe I can pick up a few avid readers who will point me in the right direction if I am not hooking up or just to poke me in the ribs and say "I told you so" when I repeat the adventures I have read about here. Thanks again all!

Name-David Converse Boat name -Summit- Boat make-21' G3 Advantage V210 FLW edition, tan canvas top Boat name origin- Reached the pinnacle of my military career (27 years when I retire Oct 2010) by starting and ending in the same unit. The 10th Mountain Division. Division Motto "Climb to Glory" with the response "To the top!" What awaits me "at the top, or summit" is this new boat and plenty of Lake O fishing Port of choice-Trailer to Stoney Creek or Henderson Harbor (Depending on whether I am headed North or South) Years fishing Lake Ontario-8 (But none in the last 20...new boat will fix that!!)

Thanks Big Dave...Thats exactly what I was looking for "Cable , release, probe, short probe saftey cable , weight. Release is the above the rest."

I...a....er.... Think I got something in my eye.

Stepdaughter??? What step daughter? Oh...is that a girl in the picture? I am sure you misunderstand. Ray's obvious statement "Can't see it very good"...The "it" is meant to imply the rigger board. "Do you have a Pic without the Fish " Ray is so enthralled over the nice brownie that he is having trouble focusing on the rigger board in question...Tough to control oneself when others have access to such beauty while folks as myself can only just dream....Under 40 days till the boats getting wet!!

I am looking at buying 2 Big John electric Captain packs. Anybody got any complaints with them? CBish...Why do you wish you had bought Scottys?? Maybe I will be your huckleberry and buy those big Johns off you so you could get Scottys. The Big Johns just look cleaner (yes I know you don't buy them for the looks) Scottys look like they are built to last for ever...Just a little stone aged is all, taking up a bit more room.

Ok, here I go. I am getting the new boat all set up. I have settled on Big John Electric downriggers for the corners and plan on dragging a couple of Shark #15'ers around the Lake. Here is where the questions start to fly. After reading all the posts on the Boards about who uses what style release and why, I think I have a handle on how to use Black's and Chamberlain's between the termination of my rigger cable and the Sharks: Using them as depicted here: Now I want to add a second rod to each rigger and the choices appear to be sliders or stackers. I have heard numerous people say that Roemer Releases are what I should use for a fixed stacker. I have not been able to find anything that shows clearly how this is done. I see that Cannon has a fixed stacker that connects right to the rigger cable at the desired depth. Anybody use these?? Do you like? How does this thing connect to my cable? How is my line attached to it? Probably explains with some kind of instructions with the package at purchase, but I would like to figure it out before I buy. I have also seen that Legendary Products makes an Elberta Clip'er Fixed Slider as sort of a "Cheater" to add an additional lure to a single rod. I assume this is used in the Mupped rig style I have read about? Don't want to get too crazy until I get some time working single rods off the riggers (picture myself with a rat's nest from hell of a bunch of twisted cable and line) But eventually I will get there. A couple more questions and I will be done. How the heck are the offshore stackers used?? What connects to the cable? Line? The two pinch pad thing is throwing me. Also, do you twist the line before you put it in pad? Last Question: Now I need to add a FishHawk X4. How/where does the probe attach in the whole set-up? Does this change how the releases are used? Thanks for your patience with this long post...I figured this was a good way to practice the Image posting feature so that after you all have schooled me all up on how it is done, I can get out there and do it...Posting pictures of the Whoppers caught along the way! I look forward to your replies!!

Many Thanks!! I am greatly in your debt for finding and posting this gem!

WOW!! Awesome job. In addition to the other questions here, here is one from a Newbie. I just caught my Whopper _____ (fill in blank with species of fish). If I am interested in getting a mount done, what do I have to do in order to ensure proper preperation? I am sure there is more to it than throw it in my cooler and arrange to meet or bring the fish to you. That "How much per Inch" question really got me thinking. Cost estimates please.

This one is for all the old time members of this site. I was digging around in some pretty old posts and came accross this: "The information posted below was written by Capt. Steve Drave of KING ME Sportfishing a few years back and was lost from this sites archives when the site was hacked a few months ago. I am re-posting Steve's article for the Newbies who would like some insight into Lake Ontario brown trout fishing" Unfortunately, the actual article was cut and garbled after the opening sentence. Anybody happen to have an old copy of this post or a saved copy of the article?? Wish I had saved the info of who this post was from, but pretty sure it was in a thread that was started by BillyV. Couldn't find my way back when I wanted to...Knew I should have been dropping bread crumbs along the way. Thanks in advance to anybody who can help out!

Here is to you Happy Birthday

Now we are talking. Any other voices to shed a little light on my darkness? This is awesome, useful, and greatly appreciated information!! A month after redeployment I hope there are a plethora (Ray - that's a "whole bunch") of Browns and even a few Steelies along the Southeastern shore with sore gums and their mug shots on my digital camera.

My jealousy factor just went through the roof!! Less than two months to go, and I will get to join the frenzy. Don’t stop the reports!! As much as I am crying about not being able to get out, reading about (And seeing those great pictures) in everybody’s posts are fueling some serious deep burning fires. You will all have to excuse me for hoping for a dramatic cold spell that keeps the water hard until mid-May. Ray K: You know any old Indian ice dances??

OK... Great start, great pictures, good to go on locations. Now if you will only give me the keys to the kingdom, I will be all set. What are the hot presentations? Spoons or flies? How far back from the boat? What weight of line do you prefer? I get the "get out early" and find the warmest water. How late in the spring does the action keep up? Will this work in early May? Middle of May? Is it pretty much panned out by Memorial Day? I know I am asking a lot, but I am stuck in the sand and don't get paroled...released...I mean I don't re-deploy until May. New boat awaits, but will have to (want to even) spend some time with my wife when I finally get back. Nothing makes the heart grow fonder than a 12 month deployment to the dry and the hot! Still I am crying to get out on the Lake. Plan on taking the wife and hoping she gets hooked as well. We shall see. I am ready to listen if only the sages will speak!

I am interested in finding the Holy Grail as well. All the fishing I did on the Shores of Jefferson County and surrounding areas as a kid growing up introduced me to plenty of Bass (Rock, White, LM and SM), Bullhead, Bluegill, Crappy, Perch (inadvertently the American Eel), and Rainbow, while the mysterious and elusive Walleye remained a creature heard of but not seen. Now that I am the proud owner of an all species fishing boat, Mr. Salmon, Brownies and the Walleye hope to be included in the list. To those who know, "Do tell!"

EXCELLENT!! It must be a real honor to serve aboard...Coming from an Army Guy, and I even mean it! Are those riggers I see on the stern???

I make these at my home workshop! PM me for the latest prices. Sorry no delivery, I only accept pick up orders. With trial and a few errors I can custom make them for you to your own size specifications. Limited colors available: Black, Blue, Purplish with a yellow tint.

#5 Mark Martin??? He is.... well he's.....He is just....OLD!!!

Little E #88 AMP! Its a great breakfast drink and goes good with my Wild Turkey Bourbon

PM Sent

For those of you who may not know me, I am deployed to Iraq and have just bought an aluminum Deep-V that is waiting for me at Clayton Marina when I redeploy from the desert (Home by Memorial Day!!). I've kept up on my reading of the posts here, and I have read Keating's book. I am not totally unfamiliar with boats or fishing in general. I have caught Steelhead in the spring trolling with Rapalas, but have never used downriggers or gone after Salmon. I need some of the more experienced crowd to think back to their days just beginning (Or anybody else for that matter) and tell me about all the newbie mistakes and bone-headed maneuvers you may have committed. Besides a good story to laugh about over beer, I hope to glean some valuable lessons...One's I can learn from reading about before I go and actually commit them myself!!! If you want to avoid any embarrassing moments you could always say "I had this friend once who did the damndest thing..."

Thanks guys!!! This year I get to have exactly that: Round 1 and Round 2 (Hell of a lot better than in the past) I have to wait for the big "Super Bowl" Party here in Iraq. This whole thing kicks off ot 0400 local time but if I have to have beer for breakfast or no beer at all, looks like breakfast it is! Kind of surprised the "Powers that be" relaxed the "No Alcohol" rules for the event, but I am not even complaining about the 2 drink limit. We are all wondering what brand the beer will be. It is a safe bet that it won't be Genny Cream.

Doesn't this proposal effect next year (If passed) as most have already purchased this year's license? Unless I am mistaken the license year is October 1st 2008 - September 30th 2009. I guess they could always make it retro-active. Still doesn't make it any better to have your own government playing shell games with money the vast majority of folks would not mind paying if it was guaranteed to support programs they were designed to.

From the desert of Iraq; Thanks to all the great people on this site who vocalize their support for the troops abroad! My Christmas wish is for all of us to make it safely back into the arms of our loved ones and this spring find myself enjoying the gentle lapping of Lake Ontario waves against the hull of my new boat and the screaming of my drag calling me to action. Best wishes to all and a happy New Year! LTC David A. Converse 10th MTN Division (TF Mountain) Camp Victory, Iraq

Number 414 for me. Anybody have any idea how many signatures will be required? What about the $10.00 "Trout and Salmon Stamp"? Is that going into effect for 2009-2010?