Ric66

Getting a kicker is a very good idea BUT getting a tow service is also a good idea. My family and I were stranded out in the lake several years ago, and both my main motor and kicker had issues. I had the tow service through my insurance so I didn't have to eat the $800 towing fee. I think Towboat is $79 a year last I looked. So if this is available in your area, I would highly recommend it.

There is a learning curve. You will get better. I suggest reading the Dan Keating books. That will increase your knowledge and give you more confidence on the water.

I started having trouble with my fishhawk with the transducer mounted on the same side as my kicker. Don't know why it started acting up because had been fine for the past 3 years. I switched the FH transducer to the other side of transom with my fishfinder transducer and now no problems. I can even use the 83 hz setting with no problems.

Very different water temps than the last time out. Set up in 140ft and it was 43F 75 down. Had to change my game plan. Had 5 rods out- 5 color with a 2 oz snap weight with a spoon; dipsey with f/f set out at 200; kevokian spoon on rigger set at 90; mag dipsy with mag spoon and f/f on the other rigger. The kevokian spoon took 4 of the 5 hits we had. The dipsy with f/f took the other hit with what seemed to be a decent salmon on but he got off soon after. Fished from 5:30pm to 7:30. Was supposed to calm down towards evening but never did for us so we called it a night after getting our last fish.

Started at 7:30am fishing with my son in about 120ft with a 6 rod spread. 63 degrees on top and had to go down to about 80 to get some cooler water. Had a 3 and 5 color leadcore out, 2 dipsies with FF, and two riggers, one with spoon and one with FF. Didn't move a rod until we move out a little deeper and we hit this laker on a green dolphin on the rigger set at 80. Turned around and started west and we got the nice salmon on the other rigger with powder blue spin doctor. Got one more small king on the dolphin and called it a day after 3 hours going 3/3. Didn't hammer them but it was nice to get out with my son. Later he played violin for my wife's church for father's day. Pretty perfect way to spend the day. Hope all the fathers on here had as nice a day as I did.

Started in about 120ft around 7:30am. Very calm today. I have never caught a coho so I set up a 6inch red dodger with a peanut fly on a 5 color leadcore on a board. Before I could get my second rod in the water I had one on the dodger. Ended up losing that fish but soon after got one on f/f off my rigger about 60ft down. Didn't get another hit for about an hour so I started out towards deeper water- went out to about 200 when the same rigger goes again. Better salmon this time. Every year I try to get a new type of presentation in my spread so this year I wanted to start using torpedo divers with 3 color leadcore with a church board. As I'm setting this up, my other rigger goes with 3 color leadcore and a spoon. Turns out to be a nice rainbow who got tangled in my torpedo line. Ended up going 3/4. Nice way to start the season on LO.

At least until they discover girls

Thank you!

Thanks !I usually set up in 130ft but yesterday I had no idea. Thought about going way out in 300-400 ft.

Took off work to take my son and his friend Stephen, the one who couldn't go with us last time, fishing for salmon. With the recent unstable weather and the poor fishing reports, I wasn't too confident about our chances. Started fishing around 5:30pm. Had the boys let out the two dipsy divers- mag set on 1 let out to 190 with a green dolphin spoon, the other was size 1, set on 3 let out to 280 with a FF. Once those were out let out the 350 copper and as I'm putting the planer board on, it gets hit so give the rod to my son's friend, but then fish lets go. At least it was a good sign I hoped. Set up a deep downrigger with a FF. Was going to set up a leadcore but I'm still very new to copper so didn't want to complicate things for myself. We started trolling in about 140ft and had some marks. Took a while but rigger finally goes off and I could tell it was a laker. Gave the rod to my son's friend and he brings in a nice one. Take a picture and let the laker free. He was excited but I told him that's nothing till you get a salmon.I moved to deeper water to get some colder temps. Noticed the current was stronger in 200 and my rods had that nice bend. I started contemplating changing the mag dispy out for a 3 color core off a downrigger when the mag gets hit and starts peeling line so I know this isn't another laker. The fish came right towards the boat after making his run and I thought for sure we lost him, but we reeled up and when we got it close to the boat we could tell he was still on. My son did a nice job netting the fish and I felt I could relax a little now. Next the rigger goes off again but no fish. Bring up the DR to reset and then the other dispy goes off and this time my son takes the rod and this salmon gives us a better fight. Netted that one and saw the sun was starting to set. Asked the boys if they wanted to call it a night and they said, no, let's stay here; Ok, set up the dispy and the downrigger again but no further action. Got the boat out just as darkness set in.

Thanks, guys. It's hard getting kids away from the computer these days. I know every generation thinks the way they grew up was the best, but can't help think kids today are missing out. As kids, we came home when it got too dark to see the baseball. Show a kid a bat today and he'll say "what's that?" Bob

Took off work early to take my son and his friend fishing. Unfortunately couldn't get a hold of his friend so just my son and I went out of Sandy around 6pm. Really hoping to get my son a big salmon. Set up in 150ft, put two dipseys out with FF- both on 2 settings out 222 and 215. Started to get my rigger out and the dipsey out at 222 took a hit. Got the rod out of the holder, set the drag and gave it to my son. I had coached my son how to pump the rod and reel down when we started fishing- glad I did that. He did a great job letting the salmon run and then bringing him in just as I taught him. Didn't know how great a job he did till we got the fish in the net and the treble hook was not embedded in the fish, just hooked around the gill. Amazing he didn't come off. 24lbs and that's our best salmon. There's always a little pressure when you try to get your kid into a fish. Took the pressure off to get one so early. About 20 minutes later got another on the rigger down 90ft. My son was still tired out from the first so he told me to take it. Not as big as the first one but decent. After that we called it a day- had to be at work early today.

You might also want to get splash guards for your transom. I feel a lot safer now that I have them as I don't have to worry about taking a wave over the transom. Here's a video on how to install them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=corKMIjGWzE

I wish I had this information when I first started using them years ago. I also used to use two Clorox bottles to float two of these rigs way behind the boat. I could fish them shallower and then have two rigs fished deep straight down from the boat. Caught two large walleye on Hemlock Lake using these. Not so much fun to fish these rigs when it was rough though.