chowder

Inspected transducer at launch- seems fine. I’m going to replace it, if the cable is damaged where I can’t really see it , it’s basically shot anyway. I’ll throw a $100 at it and hope the fish gods are appeased

6 year old Lowrance skimmer transducer: #1. A used rear station HDS unit stopped showing sonar information this spring spontaneously- hooked the transducer up to the dashboard HDS gen 2 display that had been previously Ethernet linked to the used rear station used HDS unit. Depth was displayed and bottom visible when in range but very little bait or fish detail. I swapped the used HDS rear station unit with the rear station unit from my other boat ( this one I had purchased new in 2019) . On the first trip using this unit the sonar information seemed normal . Yesterday I used this combo again and at first all was well but after I had gotten off the ‘shelf’ I was expecting the unit to show increased depth. It did not! I shut the unit off and turned back on. I was now on plane and initially it displayed no depth which I have experienced before so I thought nothing of it . I slowed down and began getting sonar information HOWEVER- despite being in range ( 250 fow / range at 300) the bottom was not displayed, changing range to 400 made no difference. Then I stopped getting any sonar information despite turning the unit on and off several times. I fished deep water with no sonar information despite turning. When I went in , I briefly had sonar information for a second once. When I got back into canal heading to the launch I suddenly had sonar information again in 12 to 6 feet until I shut off electronics at the docks. So- just replace the skimmer seems like the best move. Thoughts? Thanks

I will be posting this on Great Lakes Trolling Gear and Facebook Marketplace tomorrow or maybe in the end I’ll just end up using it for Ontario in July, Erie in August , and Montauk in September like I have been, life is short after all…

607 361-3532

I’m selling my 97 2450 Crestliner fishing boat. It’s not a boat for cruising around in. It is purpose and practicality, solid and safe.. GM v6/ Volvo drive main . 25 hp 4 stroke kicker. 3 newer cannons, electric planers, Amish boards. Garmin PanOptix rear facing sonar. 13” and 10” Lowrance networked screens with Lowrance autopilot. Dedicated Lowrance 8” screen integrated with Lowrance radar. Fishhawk and SmartTroll temp at depth. Rocket launcher, custom rod tree, hd diver rod holders, custom rear station for Garmin and Lowrance + i Troll controller for main and kicker. Tracks, Bert’s holders. No tire kickers! 13K

My experience is a year ago but may still have some relevance for you. I'm fairly experienced with jigging for lakers on both hard water and open. i talked with an internet fellow before going to keuka but his insights did seem not help me. We had a bathymetric gps iphone map of Keuka and following this fellows advice we started in 30 fow judt outside the crowded pack off the parking area. no marks on vex and moved laterally 3 times , no marks on vex. I believe we moved out to 40 fow, no marks on vex. we jigged with a variety of plastics and hard baits to no avail, we were with another party that was unwilling to move from their first location because they were fishing with tip ups though they had zero activity. at some point around 2;00pm I had a laker smack my jig and after a breif fight got it on the ice. It was probably 18 inchs of medium to thin thickness. we actually saw a laker swim by at just about the macximum sight distance an hour later. That was it! I have never been to Keuka for ice fishing before and I'm unlikely to return. My synopsis as a charter captain and guide is that either the population density of lakers in keuka is not very significant or the pods of active fish do not move around very much because food is prevalent ( although we never marked any) or it was a down bite day ( I do not recall the barometric conditions as it was the only day we had). Ive had excellent days on Cayuga on the ice on the west side but good ice there requires excellent conditions that did not occur last year.

Any current info on Mexico Bay salmon appreciated

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Humpy

Is that 2nd picture where I ran the inside board into a tree forcing us to dock without permission at a foreboding looking place in crashing waves while you ran down the railroad tracks and got the board? Seriously though, what yesterday attests to is the fact that after a complete debacle in rough water and terrible weather the thing to do is regroup and make a new plan and then persevere. If you’re really lucky, you’ll have a fishing partner who feels the same way.

Hottest stick for me so far this Spring has been a good ol rapala in Hot Steel. Just saying…

I’m not aware of any reputable USCG licensed captains in my area who encourage customers to entertain the idea of using crew or captain’s limit.