Don Supon

Experience is the same for me. So after posting i just re-log into the LOU site and continue whatever I was doing.

2nd that. I'm interested also.

Another option to you to add more lures to the spread you're prospecting with might be to add a dipsie rod(s). It will give you another lure running off the side of your boat away from the noise. You will learn how to adjust it for depth and can fish it the same, higher, or lower that your rigger lures. Or add planer boards to get copper or leadcore out to the side of the boat. All of these things are discussed regularly on this site. The big boats usually run all or most of these options at the same time, because they can. They have the knowledge, experience, and most critically, enough manpower. You are more limited, like me, but these options are available to you to use in moderation. In-line planers or mast and big board could be used. Each has it's own advantages and the cost would be significantly different. Also in the inventory might be the use of jet divers on the lines off the big boards. Botton line is that you should get very good at one tactic first. Then add another tactic to the spread and get very good at that also. KISS! (Keep It Simple Stupid) The object is to enjoy what you are doing and that enjoyment becomes magnified as you get more successful.

Right on Tim! Another factor for success would be to use floro leader from the 3-way to the hooks. Make that leader the length of your rod. Until they actually start spawning, the kwik fish type lure is best. Switch to eggs around mid-September.

Glad to help. Hope it works for you. You might want to try a test before actually fishing it. Get the set-up out and then trip the board yourself. It doesn't have to be out a country mile for this. See how you like it first, then rig for fishing. Make sure to use a bead or in-line swivel that won't pass through the swivel on the planer board..

Inline planers have two clips on them. You might have a companion take the planer off when you get it to the boat. Another option is to replace rear clip with a swivel so that the board can slide down the line towards the fish. It's important to attach a bead or something to your line above the knot to your lure to prevent the planerboard swivel from cutting the knot.

The radio is becoming replaced by the cell phone when specific info is being given out by the "pros" to each other.

I adhear to the reasoning that I want my rigger balls to show on the FF. I also want them to be tracking in a depth close to where the fish are showing. My only real concern about the depth is when fishing in close proximity to the bottom. In that instance I like to use BOTTOM LOCK and SEE the balls. However, with a lot of blow-back, because of boat speed or underwater currents, sometimes I can't see them. I rarely fish with these conditions, typically changing direction to decrease the blow-back. When that fails, I abandon the plan and form a new one as fishing blind is useless. As you've read, for me the FF screen and transducer angle are the issues to consider. I don't care what the depth counter on the FF or on the rigger counter says, I want to see the fish and their relative position to the downrigger balls. When fish show on the screen and are in position with the lure, but don't take, especially when following, then I have to make adjustments on lure color, lure brand, or lure speed. I do however, take notice of the downrigger counter depth before bringing them up for a fish take, lure change, or false release. That way I can return it to the same depth when corrections are made. Then I watch the FF to make sure they are tracking the same depth as before. Radio talk about rigger depth only gives you a "ball park" number to start with. Because of differences in readings on different boats, you can use that depth heard to begin the process for YOUR boat. Same is true if the information received is from a close buddy. A FF is the starting point, and a speed-and-temp unit allows you to fine tune the presentation. Seeing is believeing. Depth counters are not accurate enough to rely on. I run 2 riggers, and both have a different counter number on them when I watch them track at the same depth. And the depth on the FF is a third number. I go with what I see happening.

Thanks for the reply. I'm just going to sit back and wait some more. Looks like I won't have them for this season. Maybe by the spring.

I have no idea of shelf life for any of the gas stabilizers. Stabil marine treatment is the one that seems the most economical to me.

Problem preventative. Used every fill-up since 2006. K 100, Stabil, SeaFoam have been tried. Haven't noticed a difference with any brand. Let price be the deciding factor. Never had a motor problem in my 150 Honda 4 stroke. Wouldn't add gas without something.

Thanks for the input, guys. Jeff at Traxteck has told me basically the same info. As bugs come up, he finds a correction and incorporates that into the ones being produced. Was hoping to have mine for the spring LOC, then for the summer LOC, and now am still waiting and the fall LOC started today. Starting to think this may have been an ordering mistake on my part.

They looked good when I saw them at the LOTSA show in Feb. Anyone have any experience with them? Hundreds have been ordered, me included, but I'd like to hear from anyone who has received his and had a chance to use them.

A lure behind the spin doctor works. Use a 3 or 4 ft. lead to the spoon off the SD. Been successful with matching SD/spoon. Don't know what you mean by vertical/horizontal fins on the ball. Fish shaped weights have both and they work. So do the torpedo shaped weights. Both track well and don't spin on the cable. A completely round ball will, and results in line wrapping around the cable or snap to the ball. If this happens your release will not work and the fish/lure will probably be lost. Some round balls have a fin on them and they are better than completely round balls. The best is a torpedo or a fish shape.

I only run a slider on the top rod when stacked. But you might be able to get away with a fixed cheater on the down rod as long as the stacked rod is above the fixed cheater. then you could run a fixed or slider on the top rod also. Sliders on both will tangle the rods.

I run the Mag 20 DT/HS also. Tested the cable upon installation to find the ion control setting to give me a 6.6 reading. That is my sweet spot, but I've never retested. There have been times when active fish were not hitting, so I'd check to find that the control knob has been moved. Resetting to my sweet spot resulted in fish hitting sooner or later most of the time. Have been getting into the habit of checking that knob every time we re-set riggers and find the knob has frequently been moved during the weight retreval or re-set processes. I'll have to remember to bring my voltage meter out and re-test to see if the voltage has changed at my sweet spot. The PIC works; there have been many instances of fish coming up large differences to investigate. I've also seen fish dive to mid-cable and follow it down to the ball. Not all of these fish have hit, but they sure are interested.

I don't like light rods for big trout or salmon out on the lake. My preference is heavy action. With either action, never,never let the rod straighten out completely during the fight, not even for a heartbeat. But if it does for some reason, wind as fas as you can until you are fighting the fish again or actually see your lure fishless. I've watched too many fish lost because the fisherman wants to enjoy and prolong the fight. I'n not advocating a hurried, pressured retreval of the fish, But someone can "play" the fish too much. A steady, unhurried retreval is best, IMO.

Color is much better than B&W. Baitfish clouds on mine show in blue dots, but have orange areas where tightly packed. A fish arch is always orange. Particularly helpful when fish is very close to bottom, color shows fish from bottom structure. I'll never go back to B&W. My FF is a HuminBird. I run a seperate GPS because I don't want to sacrifice screen space on the FF. All major brands have good combos. This equipment is invaluable to the fisherman. Expect to pay $1000 or more, don't cheap out on this. Visit stores where they have demos of different brands (Gander Mountain for example) and pick whatever you like best. Lake O goes to 500 ft., make sure your choice can show at least that depth. The ability to zoom into any area of the water column is VERY healpful. Happy shopping!

Less blowback occurs as you increase the ball weight. Therefore, use the heaviest weight your riggers can handle. Speed and currents, as others have stated, affect the blowback. Heavy weights do blowback-but less.

Spoons behind SD absolutely DO work. Just provide a lond lead to the spoon. I've had success using SD and matching SS lures. Cohos and Kings have both fallen to this.

I'd start with a good check of the DR pulley. Make sure it rotates properly at all times and has a smooth surface. Also check that the pulley pivots easily and properly. If all passes the test, contact cable manufactuor.

Use a Klincher release on the DR cable. This release has a large snap on the bottom which attaches to the probe and/or weight (putting the release above the probe/weight). Moor subtrol uses a modification of this release. There have been many posts made that reference the Klincher Release, just run a search. Or Google search it, and you can get a diagram of it and where to purchase locations. The release has a tensioner knob for adjusting amount of pull to trip it. No krimps needed either. I use it on my Cannon DRs which have a cannon cable terminator to enable the quick-stop to function. The Klincher is attached to the bottom of the terminator, then the probe, then the weight. I've used this release with both a Moor and FishHawk probes.

Late AM a good time to target steelies out in deep water fishing high.

Forget my last post recommendations. Did what I said and wasted a whole morning in that area, experiencing only 2 knock-offs and nothing to show for the time. The bait was gone and so were most of the arches. A buddy ran out deep and did nothing much out there also. You'll have to find them for yourself this weekend.

Daiwa Heartland for the twilly tip. Blue Diamond for the roller guides.