John E Powell

There is a specific leadcore splicing needle you can buy for under $5 that will allow you to tie a few more leadcore knots besides the Willis knot. One "knot" I particularly like allows you to attach a tiny Spro swivel on the end of the leadcore making it very easy to replace leaders on your core out on the water in a moving boat. This is especially nice for people with older hands or eyes who struggle with knots. To replace a leader you just tie a new leader on to the swivel with whatever knot you prefer.

Willis knot. look on youtube for a video.

Here's a good read, unfortunately it doesn't address the new 60lb wire on the market: http://www.bloodruntackle.com/choose-your-weapon/ It's probably fair to assume the 60lb wire will allow people to run less length to reach the same depths as 45lb and should also reach a greater depth in the same length all things being equal.

When I use minnow style plugs at normal to quick trolling speeds I tie a loop knot to the hoop. But then I troll at slower speeds, like in the early spring for browns or late spring along thermal bars for 'bows, I tie tight to the hoop with a Palomar (yes feed the whole lure through the big loop) and adjust the knot location to a spot other than along the lure's centerline (where the loop knot would naturally rest. By using only a light snap or a loop knot all the time, you are missing the opportunity to tune the action of your stick baits to the fish’s mood. Many lures like Bombers and Rapalas floaters can be made much more effective (at slow trolling speeds) by tying directly to the hoop and moving the knot above or below the lures centerline (where a snap or loop would naturally run). For example, when you slide the knot to a position below the centerline (see picture) the stick bait tends to become unbalanced and takes on a wild erratic shake and roll that draws a lot of attention at slower trolling speeds. This position tends to overcome some of the lures natural diving ability making the lure run shallower which can be very productive for shoreline spring brown trout or for thermal bar rainbow/steelhead fishing. Please note the location of the Palomar knot on the hoop. I call this the 8:00 O’clock position. Many times positions from 7:30-8:00 and 10:00-10:30 are far more productive than a loop or snap sitting at the natural position of 9:00 O’clock. Sliding the knot above causes a slightly deeper dive and a more nose down profile with exaggerated wobble. Runs slower to normal speeds. Sliding the knot below causes a shallower dive (the seagulls will be very interested in these) with a very exaggerated wobble and roll. The ‘bows assassinate these along a thermal bar and browns can't resist them in the springtime super shallow ice cold water. Runs slower than normal. In this position, if it flips and rolls to the side or upside down, make sure the knot is centered left/right and slide the knot towards 9:00 O’clock just a little. Lastly, any fish will slide the knot to 9:00 O’clock so you will have to reset the knot location after every fish. Make sure to check the action alongside the boat on every lure before you set it out – some lures can be very finicky. This will work with many lures, but not all. It works better with floaters vs. deep divers. Large diving bills tend to overpower the effects of knot location.

The plate or the swivel base?

Spoons: 44 Suttons in hammered silver and silver/brass Eppinger Flutterdevil in hammered lemon lime/silver and hammered silver with blue, black, or yellow/gold edges Original Joe Riefer hand hammered pirate 44s finished similar to above. Plugs: F11 Rapala in silver/black, gold black B15A Bomber Long A silver flash/orange/black, chartreuse flash/orange/black F20s Rebel minnow Silver/black, gold/black, silver/blue

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Paul, My dad and I used to fish some tournaments with Dell, both on our boat and his, back in the day. Back when he had his 23' Carver (before the yellow Sea Ray) my Dad put that very rig you describe together one afternoon on Dell's boat. Dell had another hot rig, a LJ Fishback behind the same Dodger that he turned us onto. If I recall correctly, he shared some of the first glow Fishbacks with us before long before they were released for sale. Dell and my Dad used to tie custom squids for eachother and for LOTSA events back in the late 70's/early 80s. At the last LOTSA show, I sold my dad's Alcor wire line lake trout rod that he used for tournaments. Dell had one just like it. A couple times, they fished them side by side along the Niagara Bar drop off and caught some slob lakers on them. Small world huh?

2013 OLCOTT PEN REARING PROJECT PENS ARE IN PEN STEELHEAD ARE COMING TUESDAY APRIL 23RD AT 1:00 PM THE 3,500 STEELHEAD FOR OUR PENS IN OLCOTT WILL ARRIVE AT 1:00 PM ON TUESDAY WE CAN USE ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET. WE STILL HAVE NO WORD ON WHEN THE SALMON WILL ARRIVE THANKS TO ALL THAT HELPED LAUNCH THE PENS SATURDAY APRIL 6TH ! HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THEMSELVES. FEEDING WILL START AT 4:00 PM TUESDAY THE 23RD AND CONTINUE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS. PLEASE SIGN UP TO HELP. BRING THE YOUNG ONES ALONG AND ADD TO YOUR FUN. REMEMBER THE PENS HAVE BEEN RELOCATED, THEY ARE NOW AT THE END OF THE LONG (LEFT) BOAT LAUNCH DOCK AT THE MARINA. PLEASE, ALL YOUTH MUST WEAR LIFE JACKETS WHEN ON THE DOCKS OR AROUND THE PEN AREA !!!! (YOUTH LIFE JACKETS AVAILABLE AT MARINA OFFICE) THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT IT IS APPRECIATED VERY MUCH. BEST TO ALL HANK & TIM CONDES CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO SIGN UP TO FEED THE BABIES

Here are links to summaries of the bills. Write your legislators and reference these bills. Tell your legislators why it's important to you that they support and vote for these bills. http://legiscan.com/NY/text/A06364/id/803380 http://legiscan.com/NY/bill/S04195/2013

New price $180

To specifically answer your question about over lining a rod, the only practical time that becomes a problem is if you're unwilling to turn around for a snag and attempt to break it free without pointing the rod at the snag. Over lining has a life of it's own it seems, especially in certain fishing circles like with steelheaders and bass fisherman. People talk it up and without really thinking about it, and it takes on a life of it's own. It sort of like the fallacy in rodbuilding that good rods are built on the blanks spine and bad rods are not built on the spine. 40 years ago, someone wrote that and it persists today because it seemed to make sense to do so despite the fact that recent research has proven that the lever arm effect of guides on a blank overcomes any and all torsional forces from a blanks spine. Spool your reels with whatever you want, it's how you responsibly or irresponsibly use that line that determines if over lining is a problem or not. And just to add to the thought process here, all of us using 50lb superline backing are doubling or in some cases tripling their rods rated capacity without problems.

Mr.Esox, I believe we're in agreement, but I just want to clarify... As I wrote above, you can tie both above and below the centerline, each location gives different actions. Match the knot location and the resulting lure action to the individual lures, water conditions, and aggressiveness or passiveness of the fish. One location is not better than the other all the time.

Your welcome, let me know how it worked for you.

An independent review from a well known reel repair expert comparing the Shimano Tekotas to the Okuma Catalina had the reviewer giving the nod to the Catalinas. I tried to find the link to the technical review but I can't seem to find it now.

They are another tool that you can use from time to time, but you probably won't use them all the time. Sometimes, I will pull a diver off mine to try and spread the width of my pattern when the fish are shallower and aggressive. In rough water, when you can't run inline or big boards, divers run off outriggers will be your outermost lures. But to be honest, they would be one of the last things I would put on a new boat when rigging it. The Lee Jr bases and 18' aluminum poles are a real nice package though. I made my first set of outriggers a long time ago. I used a pair of the heaviest 13' Lamiglas fiberglass surf rod blanks they made. One roller guide for the tip, and three guides wrapped along the blank. I strung them with some braided planer board line. For a base I used a heavy duty Lee flush mount rodholder turned straight out. I found that exhaust pipe perfectly fit inside the rod holder so I had the local muffler shop bend me a piece so that when slid into the rodholder it would point straight up. I cut the bottom of the pipe to fit the pin in the bottom of the rodholder (with the pipe straight up) and then painted the metal exhaust pipe. Then I fit the surf rod blank to the pipe. I ran those for over ten years and was very happy with them. Running in and out, they would point straight up, when fishing I just lifted the pipe a little in the rod holder and twisted them upside down to the fishing position which was about 20 degrees or so above the horizontal and pointing straight out to the side. I had the rod holders from a previous boat, so my cost was just a couple hundred or so for the two surf rod blanks on sale, the guides, and the exhaust pipe work. It wouldn't be too difficult to duplicate what I did if you understand how to replace a guide on a fishing rod. The closest thing in their lineup today to what I used back then would be the SB 166 5F-2 13'8" 2 piece blank.

I'd recommend you have the boat surveyed by a pro. It's usually money very well spent. Especially on a 30 year old boat. You can try to negotiate an agreement with the seller that if the surveyor discovers a major structural problem that is a deal breaker, you'll split the cost for the survey. Here's an excellent resource: http://www.marinesurvey.org/

By using only a light snap or a loop knot, you are missing the opportunity to tune the action of your stick baits to the fish’s mood. Many lures like Bombers and Rapalas floaters can be made much more effective by tying directly to the hoop and moving the knot above or below the lures centerline (where a snap or loop would run). For example, when you slide the knot to a position below the centerline (see picture) the stick bait tends to become unbalanced and takes on a wild erratic shake and roll that draws a lot of attention at slower trolling speeds. This position tends to overcome some of the lures natural diving ability making the lure run shallower which can be very productive for shoreline spring brown trout or for thermal bar rainbow/steelhead fishing. Please note the location of the Palomar knot on the hoop. I call this the 8:00 O’clock position. Many times positions from 7:30-8:00 and 10:00-10:30 are far more productive than a loop or snap sitting at the natural position of 9:00 O’clock. Sliding the knot above causes a slightly deeper dive and a more nose down profile with exaggerated wobble. Runs slower to normal speeds. Sliding the knot below causes a shallower dive (the seagulls will be very interested in these) with a very exaggerated wobble and roll. The ‘bows assassinate these along a thermal bar and browns can't resist them in the springtime super shallow ice cold water. Runs slower than normal. In this position, if it flips and rolls to the side or upside down, make sure the knot is centered left/right and slide the knot towards 9:00 O’clock just a little. Lastly, any fish will slide the knot to 9:00 O’clock so you will have to reset the knot location after every fish. Make sure to check the action alongside the boat on every lure before you set it out – some lures can be very finicky. This will work with many lures, but not all. It works better with floaters vs. deep divers.

I have a new full 3000' bulk spool of 45lb. Opti copper line. $185 basic shipping to your door. Please note spool has a small crack along one edge. This crack in now way damaged the copper line. [email protected]

Hello, I'm looking to buy a Shimano Triton 400 XHS reel in decent shape. If you have one of these old timers sitting around collecting dust, shoot me a message please, [email protected]