Fat Trout

Im jealous of you guys. I managed to get my boat up and open my camp but spent the weekend cleaning up after the mega party in the red squirrels and mice had over the winter at my place [emoji2959] Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

If thats your 6# brown in the picture you can go ahead and upgrade that to a king instead of a brown. [emoji106] Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

Some of the folks out of mexico use 69. Scan both if you can.

Cheater

It seems your right. Looks like I have to get a flag. I got the electronic thing last year because I was piling up old flares and they were getting expensive. below is from the NYS boater's guide

those arrows are misleading. Wind forecasts are based on where they are coming from. Lake O is pretty simple. Its length is west to east. Anything heavy is trouble if you are on the opposite shoreline or out a few miles. Canadians hate a heavy south wind. US folks in Mexico like it. the further you travel from any land mass the less it means. 15mph from the south is fine if you are a mile off the south beach....terrible if you are in Canada. In mexico bay a west wind "might" be workable if you are inshore inside of nine mile point but that doesn't help a lot and if there is any north to that your disappointed. Highly situational. Similar for a heavy east wind if you are in Fairhaven and not too far out. It also matters how it has been. A 5 mph NW wind in Mexico is fine if it has been out of the south the day before. If it was blowing 30 out of the NW and settles to 5 mph that doesn't mean crap for a day+ until the mess settles down. I suggest to use multiple means to review. I'm out of mexico. I check the Oswego weather buoy and NOAA forecast. I also look at the Fishweather app and its forecast. On top of that I try to use what I've learned...including that weather forecasters are wrong more than they are right. I generally have a going far intent with a staying close backup. When it all hits the fan I just go back or sometimes don't even go out

Well played!

That's ball busting story that will live forever. I had my sister in law's boyfriend out with me on my 18'er a few years back. With that boat I trolled with my 115. He spun the driver seat around to sit in it. it was a little rough out and set of waves pitched the boat. He leaned into the throttle and went full bore while I was clipping in to a downrigger. I have no Idea how I stayed on-board and didn't end up in the spread with him heading away. lol... I've had him out since. He won't sit in that seat even now that the my current boat couldn't have that same problem.

yeah 4-6 and I'm at the dock lol. That's when I do camp maintenance, boat maintenance, drink a few with the neighbors, appease the wife etc. I've been out in the big water. Its a ball buster. even if you can get out there its rough on you. I was an observer for the Atomik invitational last year on a 28 pen yan in 4-5's with an occasional six. Lets see....they lost a rigger ball, fish hawk probe, 2 flasher rigs and chewed up a copper line mid way when it got into a dipsy. I think I have that right. I fished on a 30'er in Lake O too....its a different feel. Don't get me wrong they have command of things and can spread lines but I like the small-er boat feel and personal control. I also have no concern with running solo. Granted I do this for "fun". If I was taking clients I'd have to be bigger, it is what it is.

I can appreciate keeping it simple. Ive been doing this a long time. I ran more lines in the past and without always having a reliable crew i have the tangles to show for it. I now subscribe to the philosophy of "less is more". 5 rods max in my 20' tin boat. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

The problem with having a big boat mindset in a small boat is you will push it more and more. I ran in boats up to 25' then stepped back for a few years and didn't troll. Then I missed the lake and I got a 13'er with a 9.9 thinking I was "just going for bass". I did, then I slid out further for browns, then I ended up as far as 7 miles out with a rigger half ass strapped to this thing trolling for kings on flat calm days. Got fish too, what a sleigh ride. That's when I needed a self intervention and got a bigger boat....then yet a bigger one....lol

The tracks are fine. All 3 of mine are in track. I wouldn't do it if you dont through bolt it with fender washers or a backing plate. My fishmaster came with track from the factory and just had screws going int plywood under the aluminum of the gunnel. I replaced them all with though bolts and fender washers in any area that would have any kind of weight in the track. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

I have 4 of these that I took off of my 2019 Ram 1500. They have about 750 miles on them. I could meet in or near Mexico NY. When I head up that way I travel 81 north so along that route would work too. They have been sitting in my shed so just trying to reclaim the space.

My 2018 Fishmaster 196 came with 2 rear seats which I don't use. They have not seen the light of day so I'm considering selling them. They look like the attwood seat shown below. Pics of the actual seat and post also included $350. shipping would be extra but I'd imagine these are better suited to meeting up vs shipping. I could arrange to meet in or near Mexico NY. I travel to Mexico on Rt 81 so anywhere along there would work too for meet up.

Regardless of who controls what but there are 2 key differences this year. First is they did run higher water when they could over this winter. It helped but is absolutely because of the mayhem caused in the past few years. The other which I seem to understand more now is that how much they will run (this time of year) directly relates to the Ottawa river flows. The Ottawa was much more manageable this year. This year for the Ottawa was similar to 18 where there wasn't a lake O flood. 2017 and 2019 were very similar for the Ottawa. I'm not defending anyone, just providing some info.

No longer for sale

Good sign on the bait! This is a good sign too (water level forecast).

If those glow like the Moonshine carbon 14 that Sh*t would be evil ! I'd love to see those spinning in the water before first light.

Dude, where have you been lol. I need a 16# gator..... either one shown is good too! PM me. I'm in

Hey just a thought for you. Your looking for used so used requires flexibility sometimes. I have my 196 set up with a 72" shaft I pilot Minn Kota Terrova that came off my old boat. It works great up to about 3 ft'ers going into them on the 196. I may still put a true autopilot on the main / kicker tied combo. I strongly considered it this winter but its not cheap or easy and after last year's performance of the boat and my Ipilot I put it off so I could spend elsewhere. Performance was way better than I expected. I'm just giving you a data point. With the 196 I had to ask myself how rough I'm gonna ride anyway going into it where I can't afford someone on the wheel. Also, on a light tin boat how well is a traditional autopilot going to do anyways above 3 fters. Perhaps put the $ into a more multifunctional trolling motor or if your lucky that boat you were looking at already has that anyway.

Yup...your a believer. I have a friend with a 300 Etec he bought on a used boat but new-ish motor. He loves it. We are all a bunch of picky, brand loyal opinionated buggers that's for sure. Glad yours is working out. I love my Yammy's!