mr 580

Adventure Marine has a good one. I have been real happy with mine. Powder coated with a plastic insert for kicker to attach to.

IMO the presentation will be effected more by what you run on the end of the copper/lead. Light spoon like a DW Super slim will run like it is on lead. A big Mag spoon or flasher fly will run more like it is on straight copper. The main reason I've added lead to copper was to speed up getting short coppers set on boards when running a light spoon. Fixes a speed issue/deployment thing for me more than a presentation advantage. Under certain conditions the hybrids do perform well-more of an early season setup.

If you are new to copper I would say just run copper and get comfortable with it. On long coppers I wouldn't add lead. Only place I used it was on short coppers running off boards and I felt I could get the copper deployed quicker with a little lead on the front- fishing high with multiple lines. To me the copper/lead setup is a special application setup. For somebody working on their spread I'd focus on more basic stuff first.

I have used an Albright knot and would leave enough copper to haywire twist the end. Then I would coat copper end with liquid rubber to finish. Couple colors of leadcore helps the copper deploy easier also think you still get leadcore movement especially with spoons.

X2 on issue's with Coldwater Tackle. Was shorted on a couple backordered/drop ship items. Got one email response then no further contact. I had done a "trial" order so I don' plan to go back after getting stiffed.

It's a three day event-started Friday so it wraps up Sunday early afternoon. Think it's a 100 boat field so ramp could be busy. Shouldn't be hard to see where guys are if they get out.

FYI that the Con Club Tournament wraps up Sunday 8/6 in Dunkirk. If lake is fisheable the ramp will probably be busy. Couple that with the unsettled weather and it might be wise to look at an alternate date/other port. Fishing has been good-lots of short fish to sort through-when you can get out.

Sounds like you might have a setup issue. Do you have adjustment end oriented up? Are you just putting about 3/4 of a wrap into release? I've used Walkers for years and can set light to heavy. Don't give up-keep working with them and you'll sort it out.

PM sent with pic

PM sent on Daiwa Reel

I made some tweaks to my HDS Gen 2 touch from info that I got from a Lance Valentine/Walleye 101 DVD. It seems to have helped greatly in the performance. One of the steps is to select a transducer-the default is a generic transducer. DVD was less than $30 and was easier than trying to read the manual.

Put 30lb Big Game with 20lb fluoro leader on your rigger rods so you are safe with fleas. Run wire dipsey's if you have them. Check your drags as you can't have them hammered down tight. Get some flies to run with flashers and check the sizes of your spoons. You'll also likely be fishing deeper and faster than what you be used to on Erie. Have good terminal tackle-kings will find the weakest link. Have fun!

I've never visited the Hamburg, Pa location so can't comment on that. I do make a few trips a year to BPS in Auburn and Cabelas in Buffalo and when I'm in Washington I hit Lacey Cabelas and BPS in Tacoma. My experience in those stores, is that they keep them clean/stocked and staffed. Even during holidays they've had registers open to keep lines down. That being said I buy mainly sale items in clothing and shop Bargain Cave-I find their everyday prices pretty high. For trolling gear and tackle I buy most everything closer to home. They don't do a good job on regional items like spoons. I'll look at what they have to see if anything different but rarely buy to much in lures or tackle. In the bigger stores on the west coast I've gotten some good deals on display reels in the Bargain Cave. Other than that shop local.

My experience with electric winchs is the wiring harness supplied with them is way too light. Really need a extra heavy cable. The other thing is to pull with a double line by dead heading cable at the winch and using a pulley on the hook. IMO a heavy duty two speed mechanical winch works as good and is less of a problem to maintain.

The Map chips aren't sold by size. They are brand and model specific. They are offered for different regions so you need to drill down to be sure the lakes you want are offered on that particular Map chip. Most of the sites selling these have a three step process so you get the right chip. Most also offer free updates for a year as well. Just spend some time on Navionics or Lakemaster sites so you are comfortable getting the correct chip for your 597ci.