rail bird

I have linex on my truck bed and put some wet rags on it while I was washing and waxing the boat. They left a stain on the linex that does not seem to wash off. I don't think I would use it for a boat floor.

I would do what iceman says and split the transducers for the FF and the fish hawk. My fish finder interfears with my fish hawk. My transducers are next to each other. I have the old 840 so maybe it's different now but to be on the safe side split them.

While natural reproduction may seem like a good thing it can also cause problems. It maybe one of the many issues that caused a collapse in Lake Huron. This is a good write up as to what is going on over there.

http://www.greatnorthernoutdoors.net/s-lakehuron1.htm

Where are some good places to take a boat trailer between Batavia and Buffalo for getting some work done? It may need brakes and or berings replaced plus NYS inspection.

Thanks

Just lash a broomstick to your bow and call it a pulpit. All of the sudden you have an 18 foot boat.

I agree with what Rob said but I do like to put the full 10 colors out so knot is past the rod tip. If your knot gets hung up during a big hit you can break off the core.

How long is the leader that you are using with the core? Mine starts the year with 50 feet but it gets cut down as I snip and re tie the swivel. It is a very effective rig on many days. It has saved my day many times.

hey rob , no its the 3rd trip out but trout-N-About reported off sandy the same days with mostly the same results so i didnt write a report ! and yes sticks off the planners also one had a tiny dipsy diver on it that took a bow ... can"t seem to catch anything with my lead core ! used it three times now with no takers . I think i need some help with the set up of it and how too run it ? open for tips lol jonny

There is one at the Orleans county Marine park. It's the other side of the river under the lake Ontario parkway bridge. I have not been there this year so maybe someone can confirm that it is open. No charge as far as I know. It's nice. It has a disposer.

I run mine off the cleats with no problem. I put them on at the dock and keep them inside the boat and drop them in when ready to troll. I am only in a 21 foot boat so I am lower to the water but they do not seem to rub anything but the rub rail.

A lot depends on the kind of weather that is in the area at the time. Warm southwest winds kick up in the afternoon but often die off as you approach dusk. This can be one of the best times to fish. Cold winds from the north sometimes blow all night and the morning can be just as bad as any other time. Monitor the central lake Ontario buoy to see if the winds and waves are picking up or dropping off before you go out.

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/45012.html

The Agencies protecting us are silent for the most part, like the security programs running in the background of the computer you are reading this on. Every once in a while, they pop up to let us know they are doing their job, keeping spy's and hackers and virus's from harming our fun and productivity. Are they annoying and inconveniences when they do this? Well yeah, in a way, especially when you are in the middle of YOUR freedom to use the machine for those activities, but then you realize, you put them there to protect you, and your world, on the machine from harm.

I wonder how long it takes them to figgure out that when someone posts rocket launchers for sale on this site that we are talking about fishing equipment?

I never had much luck running two rods on the same rigger. Too many tangles and tougher to reset the rigs. I prefer free sliders. If I was going back to that way I would keep the bottom rig less than 10 feet behind the ball. The top rig would be 15 to 20 feet higher and less than 20 back.

I run free sliders because they are easy and you have less chance of a tangle. I use 6 feet of 20lb flurocarbon and use a snap swivel on each end. My normal pattern is to run an nk 28 15 to 30 feet off the ball and use michigan stingers for the free sliders. My favorite spoon is a glow frog on the slider. Sometimes I use reds or orange colors because they are up high. Don't run the main line too far behind the ball because a free slider has to run down the line before a fish will feel the drag. If the rod pops, grab it and reel fast untill you feel the fish and give a little hook set tug. Stagger the down riggers so you cover depth and have less chance for a tangle. That is about it.

Good Luck

I don't know where you fish or how far in advance you are planning a trip but wave forcast's can be very frustrating. I don't think you can look more than a day or two in advance with accuracy.

I live 45 min. from the lake and what I do is monitor the central lake ontario Buoy. I fish out of the Oak so by observing the wave hieght at the bouy and the wind direction I can pretty much tell if it is worth going or not. You can look at the history and see if the wind and waves are building or not. You can see if the wind changed direction. As you get used to the kind of forcast that will bring good or bad conditions you kind of get the hang of it.

The bouy is not in service for the year yet but should be up an running soon This is the link to get to it.

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/45012.html

Good Luck

Here is the basic info on the Atlantics. New york state record is 24 lbs.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Newsroom/La ... 04275.html

Most of us have been in the same place you have been when we started out. So don't feel bad. Most likely it's just one or two things you need to adjust to have a better day.

Speed, No matter what the other boats say what you have to do is adjust your boat speed to what you are running. The easy things to run are spoons. Attach spoon #1 to your down rigger about 15 feet behind the ball and lower it 5 feet in the water and watch it swim. does it wiggle? or is it just sitting there. If it's sitting there you are going to slow. Is it spinning in circles you are going too fast. When the lure has good action lower it to the depth you want to fish at. Do the same for the other downrigger setting it 25 feet back and run it at a staggered depth. 10 -20 feet higher or lower than the other one. That is the most basic trolling set up. It is better to run 1 or 2 things correctly than run 6 things and have one thing running wrong. A spinning lure or a tangle will stop you from catching fish.

I like to add free sliders to my down rigger lines. but make sure they do not tangle. Watch your downrigger cables as you troll. You want to go in a direction that will keep them straight behind your boat, If there are currents your cables will swing to the left or right and may screw up your lure action.

Where to fish depends on the time of year but before june try close to shore in the morning 40 to 60 feet. sometimes less. After the sun gets high you can head off shore and look for surface temp breaks and scum lines. You will learn over time what works for you. You will see other boats doing the same thing.

Fishing the right temp is important at times but fish will come to you if you have an attractive presentation. As you get better at the basics you can start adding things to your arsenal for better catch ratios but as much as you read about all the methods on these boards, lead core, dipsy, copper, thumper etc. The basic two downrigger set up can catch lots of fish on it's own.

Good Luck

My name Greg Russell

Boat Name Rail Bird (name not on boat)

boat type 21 foot sea pro

Docked at 4 c's oak orchard

fished lake O about 15 years last 5 with my own boat.

stop by and say hi or give me a shout on the water.

welcome hope to see you on the lake.

I don't know what you want to call it but it reminded me of this Beat Farmer song. One of the best bar bands of all time.

I like the nk 28 watermelon pretty much all year on that set up.

One thing to be aware of, winning money in the LOC may be treated much differently than the Pro Ams or Scotty type events. In a two day tournament it is clear that your sole intent to be on the water that day was to fish for prize money. That is difficult to prove in a LOC style event. So writing off things like fuel, tackle and lodging against winnings might be diffficult. You certainly can dedudct the entry fees against the winnings.

Funny this topic came up, I just won the Steelhead division in the fall the tax rate I broke into was alittle more than 30%. When all was said and done they (IRS) hit me for 48% of my winnings. Word to the wise, don't pay your fishing partner half till you take out the taxes! $2600 ended up netting me 400 bucks.

Tights Lines,

Steven

Just to add, what fish tails accountant is doing is writing off his expenses against his winnings only. If you can document the expenses directly related to the fishing tournament is greater or equal to what you won you do not have to pay tax on the winnings. What you can not do is write those expenses off against your regular income unless you are under regular business rules and not hobby loss rules.

I don't think have to be a charter captain to fish tourny's as a business but you do have to show profits in certain years for it not to come under hobby loss rules. If you fish lots of tournaments it might be worth your while to document your expenses and read the mind numbing 1040 instructions.

I run the 30lb big game bright green. I don't know why but I picked a spool and it seemed to catch fish just fine. It will pick up fleas if they are very thick but it does not have the blow back or twist of flea flicker.

I like to use the white or copper back spoons when the sun is very bright. If you think of it the silver back spoons put out a big flash when the sun is high, and look many times larger than they are in the water. Switching to a spoon with less flash may make them look smaller in the water and similar in size to the bait fish that they are supposed to imitate.