Sk8man

I've had mine since this winter and have given them a real good workout and I like them very much. Rich does a great job...nice paint and very sleek shape and it is obvious he takes a great deal of pride in making them....the good old American work ethic.He is also an experienced fisherman so he knows what we are looking for. I give them a :yes: It is also worth noting that troutman87 (Harvey O'Hara) makes great torpedo shaped weights as well so we have a lot of high quality stuff to choose from without going to the big box companies.

That is where I normally use 30 lb. You want the leader to your spoon at a lower pound test (e.g. 10-15 lb) in case you snag up on bottom or something and that way you only lose the spoon and not the dodger, flasher or spinney too. ! oz or 1 1/2 oz jig is just right for most situations especially iffishing deeper places to get back down quickly

1) 25 should be OK on Fingers but I usually use 30lb if fishing deep or near bottom 8 lb test seems pretty light I normally run 12 lb or so if behind an attractor for spoons (rainbows and landlocks can put some pretty good stress on things). Lighter lines are Ok if running the spoons alone or toward the surface but if you hook a big one you need to be more careful bringing in 2) Forget using the dipsey approach to locate lakers prior to jigging. They are two separate and very different strategies. Use your depth finder to locate fish that look like they may be trout in terms of their position especially if near bait. Then either choose to drift is the wind is way down, or use an electric trolling motor (if you have one) to stay near them, or anchor up nearby and cast back into them. (Let your anchor down slowly and carefully so as not to spook them especially in shallower water. The rubber you bought should be OK If they are real hungry they will hit a variety of things. I'm not sure about the jig weight of the one in the pic but it may be light...usually 3/4 oz to 1 1/2 (or even 2 oz if deep)

WTG Ed ...now I see why you're interested in a hoist

I steer mine with the big motor and don't even bother with the EZ Steer bracket. I fully tilt it up when I'm running high speed with the 135 etc. As you can see my kicker is a long shaft so the prop is close to parallel with the one on the big motor which allows for pretty good steering. With a shorter shaft motor you should still be able to do OK and if located properly yours should be all the way out when you are under power high speed. The other thing to think about is can you reach it to tilt it up without falling out of the boat?

Don't use crimps on copper copper is too soft ....it is primarily used on stranded stainless steel wire. There are many ways to do it but I tie the braid or mono backing to the reel with knot and then for a transition to the copper a Spro #8 power swivel (50 lb test) or the heavy duty inline version swivel (150 lb I think). then another#8 swivel for the fluoro leader to the copper. I just twist the copper a few tight revolutions at that section and tie whatever knot you feel confident in at the leader end and at the swivel as well.I use the clinch knot for them as I have never had one let go but many folks prefer the Palomar or others. Use a high quality SOLID RING ball bearing swivel at the terminal end. Since it won't be on Lake O I'd use good quality fluoro (e.g Seguar ) in about 20 lb test that way you can run most things without fear of breakage and since you aren't up toward the surface with the copper line visibility isn't an issue.

I fished Lake O and many other places like the Clyde River and May's Point even as a real young kid for 2 weeks during the summer every year starting in the early 50's with a retired guy who was like a grandfather to me (my own died 2 years before I was born) We mainly fished Sodus Point and Chimney Bluffs and the bay for bass and pike and anything else we could get (Sheeps head, bullheads, catfish, sunnys etc.). I fished the Finger Lakes and streams near there mainly up through 1963 when I went in the military about 1973 or so I started fishing Lake O again on breaks from college etc. and in 1975 first fished for salmon out of Sodus Point. I didn't have a boat yet so went with two friends who were experienced fishing but who had never fished for salmon. After nearly wiping out our prop on the sandbar to the southwest of the channel in the bay we made it out about a couple hundred yards trolling all the way out the channel and one of my friends says I think I'll try this thing (yellow Manistee wobbler which looked like a miniature manta ray to me ). He no longer set the rod in the holder when the drag goes screaming out and he yells" I think I'm snagged on bottom" He instinctively places his thumb on the spool of the reel and all of a sudden the line zips out like there is no tomorrow.....and his thumb actually started smoking from the friction and he dropped the rod with the line still whizzing out. My other buddy picked up the rod and after about a half hour boated a 20 plus king. We had to put cream from the emergency kit on the other friends thumb which had a bunch of skin burned right off it and a couple weeks later he still had it bandaged Lesson #1: "Don't try to "thumb" a king". After seeing that fight and the fish I was hooked on kings and salmon fishing for life and have been doing it ever since including fishing solo in my first boat for steelies and salmon in the shipping lanes far from visible shore where the dingies on the big boats and cargo vessels passing by were ten foot longer than my little 13 ft.Whaler with its two 4 ft boom manual Riveria downriggers In 1982 my son caught his first salmon and it was 32 lbs and on 12 lb test line andf that was his initiation to salmon fishing and one of the best bonding moments a father and son could ever have

Nice brown and great coloration WTG!

Nice going John and good to hear you're getting into them

Welcome aboard. Here is my setup for not drilling holes for Cannons The first item to the left on the components pic is only needed if you need extra height as it is a pedestal

WTG Mike and nice report and pics along with a good box of fish. Lets hope things will keep taking off on Seneca.....can't wait for the Fall fishing and flea decline with decreased water temps. Congrats on the results!