Jolly II

Thanks for your input Tom. Shakedown last week provide information to prove just your point. The riggers are now 100%, and I will have an operational sub-troll this Satruday morning.

I know I'm way behind the power curve this year, but just havn't had the time I wanted to put into getting everything ready for this season. Anyway just got my boat wired up for electric down riggers, and I'm running the typical 3 rigger program. My question is where to put my probe rigger. Is it best straight off the back in the center position? My concern is if there will be any conflict with the outdrive, any damage that could occur from the probe being brought up throught the prop wash, or getting the cable wrapped up in the prop on a rough day. All rigger arms are 48" long. Or, is ok to run on a side rigger position? Some thoughts on this would help. Thanks Chris

I just took the class and test through SeaTech Marine this past March. I would recommend them. I also took the CPR and 1st aid classes through them as well.

Nicely done Dave!!! Sounds like it might be a good month of may out at Rainbow Alley. Say hello to Stan "Fish Sticks" for us.

Pat, I had heard there were a bunch of smelt in the Sandy Creek area out in the lake. Browns were eating them up was mentioned in one of the fishing report posts. I would imagine that there would've been a bunch in the creek at that point too, although with all the rain and muddy water it was probably pretty tough to see them in order to net them.

Thanks for sharing the info. 8-10" stockers from the hatchery are pretty decent size. If that's the size hatchery fish that they've been stocking the last 6-7 years, plus the bigger pen reared fish, that would explain why the steelhead fishing in the lake has gotten as good as it has. Seems like before that the hatchery steelhead were only half that size, and more than likely became an easy meal for birds and fish, hence the poor steelhead fishing in the late 90s and early 2000s. Hopefully that size trend will continue.

I've never had a problem setting copper on big boards after I've set the dipsies. I do exactly what Gambler stated above, I let the copper out slowly, and then stick in a rod holder for a few minutes to let it settle out, a little insurance that the copper will clear the dispsy. Last summer I discover one of my dipsy line counter reels was grously inaccurate, the counter said 275, but I have feeling it was much further out than that, more like 350-375 and that got tangled with a 400 copper twice in the same day during a turn. That is the only major problem I have had with running copper and dipsies. Now that know the inaccuracy of that line counter reel I haven't had any problems with tangles again. I've had some other growing pains with copper, but that is part of the learning curve.

Wow! A Superslam!! That sounds like an awesome trip, and I'm glad to hear you guys got into them. Mortigan, Like I said, you guys pick a good captain to go with.

You guys need another volunteer for Sunday afternoon??

Go with the 450' copper for reasons that Missdemeanor stated above. I have a convector 55 with 450' of copper, and 300 yards of Power Pro backing. It will all fit, but it will be close. I had to use quite a bit tension on the copper spool inorder to put the copper on tight enough to fit into the reel. After catching a couple big fish on it, it will fit into the reel a little better. Good luck.

When we're running riggers in the early spring, 5-10 FOW, and we get a spunky brown behind the boat I will often just clear a rigger rod on one side and try to keep the fish to that side. I usually don't bring the spoon all the way in, just let flat line off the back, then when we boat the fish it only takes minute to reset it back on the rigger. On a couple of occasions over the years, when in the browns thick, that cleared rod, flatlining has gotten us into a double.

Like most of the guys above I prefer to run big boards off the mast. It's a lot less junk to have to deal with when landing the fish. I tend to fish ligher than average line from the traditional presentations, riggers and boards, and because of that I prefer the big boards with a good, easily adjustable side planer release, especially in the spring. I love fishing spring browns, and there is nothing like catching spring browns on a clean, no junk, set up. Just you and the fish. I leave all the junk to the summer fishing for bigger fish. Chris

Good advice guys!! Any fish that we plan on eating we immediately gut the fish as stated above. I also remove the Kidneys (lots of blood in those organs) as well as what Bob mentioned above. A good fresh water rinse over the side is always good, and get them on ice immediately. As for the filletting procedure, I also take my time and trim all the dark colored meat off the fillet (meat that is close or next to the skin) as well as the dark meat around the lateral line. This dark meat is very strong and fishy tasting. Also trim off any fat that you can see. Of course any good Norwegian would hang me for doing that, as those parts are also rich in Omega 3 fish oils. lol But I like a non fishy tasting filet myself.

Thanks for clearing things up Tom. There's a lot of stuff I've been hearing about this, but just never know what to believe. Info from you is as solid as anyone can get. Thanks!

Tom, Do you know of any Environmental Impact studies or Economic Impact studies going on at this point? Seems like the NYPA is trying to already push this off shore wind turbine thing into the request for proposal stage. All the Environmental Studies I've done in the past have always taken place well in advance of any proposal phase, let alone the construction phase. I could be wrong on that assumption. Call it distrust in state angencies. Chris

Rod Hog, If you do have it let me know I'm still interested. Thanks for getting back to me, Sorry for taking so long on responding to your post. Chris

I know... I'm pretty amazed myself Dale, LOL. It's a matter of overcoming my Jolliff genetics and being satisfied that after 25 some years of use we got our money's worth out of them. But no worries buddy... I'll still have my 25 year old Diawa 27H's spooled up with 12lb test. I'm sure that won't change for awhile.

Thanks for the info guys. Not quite sold on the PowerPro idea yet. Perhaps I'll spool one rigger with it and give it a try instead of going all in on it.

Very Nice!

Just something for you to think about... consider 7 strand wire for your dipsy rods, especially when the fleas come on strong in the middle of the summer. The wire generally cuts through them as the line slides through the rod guides. I've been running wire for 5 seasons, and found it to be very productive, and have not had any major problems with the fleas. Messing around trying to get fleas off your line, while trying to battle a big increases the potential to lose the fish. My 47LCs are spooled with a 1000 feet of 30lb wire, about 330 yards, and fills the spool nicely. 330 yards is more than enough to handle 99% of the big fish we catch. In all the years fishing I can remember having to turn and chase only a couple fish that were on a dipsey. I know you want to run Power Pro, but just thought I'd add an opinion. Chris

Wondering if anybody knows where I might be able to find a Cannon Helmsman. Can't really afford an auto pilot at this point in the game, so thinking it might be a decent option.

Yeah!! No kidding.. 14-15lb 2 year olds last year on the bar!!!! Anyone who fishes Lake Ontario for any species should attend these meetings. As Capt. Vince has stated, attendance to these events are important to show support for our world class fishery and how important an asset it is to upstate and western New York. See you there!

Got to mention that those of us that have older vehicles, not designed for ethanol, now have reduced fuel economy thanks to 10% ethanol in our Gasoline. What a great scheme to have us spending more money, from burning more fuel, and bringing in more tax revenue from gasoline sales. That's really just a crazy conspiracy theory on my part though.

I do what Legacy said above. Using a different line shade or something definitely helps with tangles. I also use an Off Shore Tackle Planer Board Release, with the shower curtain loop removed, to hold the slider in place on the main line. A trick I learned along the way fishing with another gentleman on this board.

I've got a "can't pass it up deal" on some electric downriggers. I'm thinking of spooling the 2 non-probe riggers with Power Pro. My question is for those of you who run Power Pro on your riggers what pound test do you guys use? 150, 200, or 250?? If you do run Power Pro on your riggers how do you like? Pros and Cons? Thanks! Chris