Sk8man

I believe In that Blood Run article there is a section dealing with modifications to the boards when running heavier stuff if I remember correctly. For the TX 44's it involved repositioning both the weights in a forward position and modifying the release arm (carefully bending it upward after heating it). If running braid they also mentioned buying metal pins to replace the plastic ones that come with the boards to avoid cutting into the plastic. Calumet Marine sells them and I've had them for awhile and they work fine.. Additionally you want the boards to run along parallel to the boat at the sides rather than well behind it. At least in my experience with inline boards there may always be occasional "skipping" and diving along with significant changes in boat speed and wave action especially if running "active" lures with heavier/longer lines and speed will be different for each side of the boat (outside faster and inside slower) I keep the rod tip up higher when letting the boards out and pointed downward toward the boards when bringing in fairly rapidly to avoid the board diving.

There are also different grades of tires with different load ratings my D rated ones call for a 65 lb max and I keep them at 64 lbs and it is an 18 ft boat. It also depends on how much weight you are carrying in your boat on the trailer...mine holds 60 gal. of gas and I keep it full and I carry a lot of stuff in it as well so it need plenty of air in the tires to support it. The best idea is to go by the printed ratings on the tires.

I've used the one Mark mentioned and it is great and well worth the money and on mine you can select either the standard starting battery or deep cycle ....does a great job.

Is the overflow area also full at Sampson?

I wish Jason "Good luck" with that stuff .....I threw out a bunch of new spools of it of various tests that had never been used because of the failures in knot strength (regardless of knot used). I have used Berkeley lines since the early seventies and this is the only one that I have absolutely no trust in.

The purists will say leader material (e.g. Blue Label Seguar) but I have also used the Red label Seguar it just seems a little less stiff and probably the blue label stuff has a hardened coating. Whatever you do DON'T use Berkley Vanish it totally sucks.

bandrus is right it used to be 12 lb test for years for me but the fleas changed that 30 lb Blood Run Sea Flee leadered down to Seguar fluoro 20 lb. (12lb for early Spring browns and kings).

You can get down a few feet (depending on speed)with 3 or so large split shot about 3 to 4 ft ahead of the stick and it will also keep the grass off to a degree. It will affect the action somewhat depending on the stick and size of it so test it at the side of the boat beforehand. I usually use it with jointed sticks as it seems to affect them less.

Yes and when you winterize the boat it is a good idea to blow out any water in those lines and add camper (non toxic) antifreeze to the lines

It may also be one of the reasons lake trout, bait and others are nearly always bottom oriented in the winter as the densest water sinks to the bottom and then becomes the warmest game in town.

Possibly transducer is going bad but also check to see that the transducer placement is where it should be and hasn't "slipped" out of position etc. because it is possible that if it is pointing wrong then the jig (or fish) may be out of the cone and thus not picked up.

If you don't find someone you can order one here: http://www.fish307.com/cannon-downrigger-parts.aspx