Jump to content

John E Powell

Professional
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    784

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by John E Powell

  1. John E Powell
    Weighted steel lines off boards usually only light fleas. Wire divers hold more fleas, but the wire easily cuts them when you rub a bunch up and down the wire. For rigger lines I switch over to Flea Reels. Each has about 150’ of 40lb big game on and then a lighter fluorocarbon leader. The big game is between the release and rod tip, the fluoro trails behind the release to the bait. 40lb big game is big enough diameter that most fleas can’t get hooked on it. Splices to the backing and big game and the big game to leader are both Albright knots, the big game is the loop line and the smaller backing or leader is the end you wrap around the loop. I use a flea file to get stubborn fleas off. A flea file is a plastic ruler or similar size water resistant stiff material with the male side of adhesive backed Velcro applied to it. To use, pull the line tight from both ends and rub the Velcro across the line like a musician would use their bow to play a string instrument. A moderate pressure sends the fleas flying as the Velcro rips them from the line. They do fly everywhere, but you just wash them down after with your deck hose. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
  2. John E Powell
    We had a 15ish fix box from 180-280 ft of water straight out of the harbor, including 3 in the low 20s. Mix of spoons and flies, meat went untouched all day. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  3. John E Powell
    In my opinion I’d rig one for wire and dipsy and a second as a wire/mono Slide diver. The slide diver will allow you to lengthen the distance behind the diver for variety when the bite is tough and the fish are finicky. Braid divers are fine up until the fleas show up, then they’re a nightmare. Mono divers won’t reach the deeper depths you’ll want to fish at certain times of the season. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  4. John E Powell
    They’ll reduce by not eliminate them. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
  5. John E Powell
    Under the right circumstances yes. However, roller rods need to be oriented in the rod holders to oppose the pull of the divers. If they’re oriented more than about 15-20 degrees either way the wire will walk up the rollers and rub the inside of the frames. They’re also a notably heavier rod with all the added guide weight. The guy I fish with regularly runs mag divers on short 7’ roller Talora in the inside and reg divers on longer 10’ ring guide Talora on the outside. He’s happy with both. I’ve noticed that the 3 or so rollers near his rod tips have a lot of frame wear so there’s a good amount of torsional loading on these rods when pulling back and really loading the tip when fighting fish. This is not something that would cause wear on a ceramic ring guide. There is a recommended freshwater maintenance interval for the AFTCO roller guides. Most people are unaware of that point. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
  6. John E Powell
    Talora rods with ceramic guides are fine, especially when using 19-strand wire. Use a Twili tip, there’s no need for roller guides. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  7. John E Powell
    87 should be fine. If you experience pre ignition (pinging or knocking) under load, you can retard the timing a couple degrees. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  8. John E Powell
    I run core off planer boards. This may sound really complex but it’s straightforward if you take it step by step. To get the proper amount of backing to fill a reel precisely to the full point, you fill the reel backwards so the backing tops off the reel. Then you transfer it to a second same size reel. If you don’t have the same dive reels, then you transfer it off the reel you filled, and work between a couple of others reels or spools, or go to a park where you can stretch it out and then switch ends and reinstall it. 1) Assuming you want a spoon or plug rod, not a rotating flasher, start by taping 20-30’ fluorocarbon leader of your choice to the spool. 2) Use a Willis knot to splice the core and leader and wind on the core. You may need to pass the spool or reel through the main loop of the Willis knot so don’t mount the reel on a rod. 3) Use a willis knot to splice together 20-30’ of 40lb Trilene Big Game and wind this on the reel. This section of heavy mono is where you’ll attach either your inline planer board or to the release of a tow line pulled big set of boards. 4) Use an Albright knot to splice 50lb Power Pro to the mono. Mono should be the large standing loop and power pro is the smaller wrapped line. Fill the reel almost full. Leave just enough room for 2 full levelwind passes, left to right and back to left, of some lighter mono around 20lb or so. 5) Use an Albright knot to splice together the 20ish pound mono mentioned above. Mono should be the standing loop and the power pro should be the wrapped line. Add enough mono to top off the reel, at least 2 complete levelwind passes. 6) Now that the reel is perfectly filled to the proper full mark, empty the reel, mount it to the rod, and reverse install it as described in the intro paragraph. 7). The light mono gets started with an Arbor knot, then wind on your backing, heavy duty planer release mono, core, and fluorocarbon leader. Note: If you think you might want to use a rotating flasher on a longer length core, say 10 colors, add a couple 50lb Spro swivels in the mono and leader on each end of the core. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  9. John E Powell
    Spoons have been hot all year Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  10. John E Powell
    Years ago the thinking was fish the majority of lures around 54-56 degrees, but active Chinook can be found as cold as 42-43 degrees so set one line down there and fish the rest spread from there up to the mid 50s. If you’re marking bait or fish high, try a line high out of ideal temp. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  11. John E Powell
    Rig both, but run one port side in calm seas or up/down wind, in a beam sea run it to the windward side. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
  12. John E Powell
    If you want to lower your fuel consumption, you need to run it near its most economical cruise which will be lower speed. Look online for a review and performance report for your year and model. Look for a review that has a fuel consumption chart. Run the engine at that speed and then adjust your trim and tabs for max speed at that most economical rpm. Trolling fuel consumption is a much smaller part of the picture and not a lot can be done to improve it, other than maybe 1 bag instead of 2 and adjust rpm accordingly. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  13. John E Powell
    If they have backing plates you’re probably fine. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  14. John E Powell
    2 is often better than 3 or 4. Used to have 5, now almost never even mount the 3rd. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  15. John E Powell
    You may wish to post this for sale on the Facebook page Everything Boston Whaler. It’ll likely get more interest there. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  16. John E Powell
    Pine Valley weren’t widely popular, but they had there following among a few trollers. Evil Eye were, and still are, a great spoon that trolls towards the slower to mid range end of the spoon speed spectrum. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  17. John E Powell
    You don’t mention which boards you plan to pull, but I’ll caution you on the Amish white plastic boards if that’s what you’re planning to use. Even with CISCO reels, pull them in one at a time steering towards the one you’re clearing to reduce the force needed to retrieve the plastic Amish boards. If you pull them in heading straight down the lake at trolling speed they’ll come in, but you’ll eventually burn up the motors after a season or two of doing that. We’ve just learned that the expensive way and have 2 replacement motors on order. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  18. John E Powell
    Fishing rough water on a large seaworthy boat most pro teams use with the incentive of a big purse is one thing. Fishing those same rough waters on a small trailerable boat most amateur teams use for a purse that is usually 1/10 or less what the pro prize is another thing altogether. In my mind if you’re going to run an amateur division it needs to be run in a different manner than a pro division. Not just team members, observers, number of rods, and fish, but with the understanding that most Am teams aren’t really after a big prize, it’s to have a good time and not throw away an entry fee. I’d be a lot more inclined to fish a tournament if I could get my entry fee back the morning of the tournament if I felt it was to rough to fish comfortably in a smaller boat. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  19. John E Powell
    No Trojan Bertram yachts was the parent company who owned both. Trojan and Bertram had different designers, hull forms, and manufacturing facilities. The confusion is common because for a period of time some Trojans had plates that said Trojan Bertram. A similar analogy - Brunswick Marine is the parent company of many boat manufacturers, http://www.brunswick.com/brands/marine-boats/ but that doesn’t mean a Bayliner or Sea Ray uses the same design team, construction techniques, hull molds, or manufacturing technologies or facilities as Boston Whaler.. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
  20. John E Powell
    Past experience where tournament directors don’t use common sense with respect to weather. When you fish from a smaller boat, marginal weather is risky. Small craft advisory as a determining factor is inconsistent. We were entered in a tournament with 25-30 mph winds and no small craft advisory was issued so tournament ran. Another time there was one issued the previous night, but the wind died and by the next morning it had settled to less than a 1 foot chop and the small craft advisory hadn’t been lifted so a two day tourney was decided on one day’s catch. Weather has been a can’t get out safely in a small boat factor last two Niagara Pro AM. I’ve probably fished my last one for at least a few years. If the tourney runs and you don’t feel it’s safe to go out you’re just throwing the entry away. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  21. John E Powell
    Curious, did this boat ever sell? Sent from my iPad using Lake Ontario United mobile app
  22. John E Powell
    It would probably be helpful if you told us where the owner lives and how far he’s willing to travel. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  23. John E Powell
    I am paired with a team, so no longer available. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United
  24. John E Powell
    Hi, if your team needs an observer I’m experienced, reliable, and available. I can be messaged through the app initially. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
  25. John E Powell
    My advice is get a good rod from the start rather than paying for two. If you like the St. Croix, then save up and buy it when you can afford it. ________________________ Owner John's Custom Rods Specializing in building Great Lakes trolling rods since 1979 First place winner of the 2016 World Rod Building Challenge
×
×
  • Create New...