Mike M

If you want it done right with the fastest turnaround I highly reccomend A&P tackle  518-283-5920. Peter Shumann really knows  his stuff wnen it comes to this type of fishing equipment. Even though you have to ship to him you'll still get it back quicker then taking it somewhere else.

I've run a HDS Gen 1 10" screen past two seasons. Very happy with unit. Always run split screen FF/Chartplotter. Have 83/200 transducer. Thinking about switching to a airmar p66 ducer cause  I've read so many good reviews. Since 1995 I've had 2 hardtop style boats. Most of my electronics including the HDS are mounted to the cieling of the hardtop. This keeps them out of the sun and any moisture. Electronics have been problem free for all these years. I've heard all the bashing of Lowrance products and service. Guess I'm in the minority, I like there products, the resolution,pixal count and there features. Tech support has been fine. I've called them many times for tech support trying to learn the unit.

Ditto about Matt/Wet Net charters. He's always on the fish. One of the hardest working fisherman/captains I've ever seen. Works his butt off to put fish in the boat!!  Thats why he does so well in the tournaments.

If you can afford it go with the new gen2 HDS. No warranty with a used unit. I strongly advice you go with a bigger screen then the 5 inch, again biggest you can afford and fit on your dash. Your gonna want to run it with a split screen, sonar/chartplotter. The HDS5 is kinda small for that. I've run a HDS10 gen1 last 2 seasons and have been very happy. Mine has the 83/200 ducer. We troll from spring to fall on Lake O,very happy with the picture we get.Don't know how I lived without a chartplotter on the boat! Was a learning curve getting to know unit, Lowrance tech support was great with advice etc..  

Google sternsaver!!! Its the way to go. ALWAYS AVOID DRILLING HOLES IN THE HULL OF YOUR BOAT IF YOU CAN !!!!!!!  Last spring I had to install 2 ducers to "new to me pennyan" .Very happy with result.

Last season I had a panther remote steering system on a (new to me) 22.5 Pennyan Outrage. I could not get comfortable with it-and my crew/friends hated it. It is no subsitute for an auto pilot and you'll be very disappointed if you think it is. My previous boat had a TR-1 auto pilot on 9.9 Yami 4 stroke pushing a 24ft Lund sportcabin. That TR-1 was the best money I ever spent on that Lund.. Anyhow the panther remote steering system came off the Pennyan about mid season last year.Repaced by a simple EZ-steer bar between kicker and outdrive. Crew/friends much happier although someone always has to be at wheel.  IMHO boat control is a HUGH factor in trolling that doesn't get talked about enough. The TR-1 combined with the right kicker for your boat are the ultimate tools for trolling IMHO.BTW the 24ft Lund Sportcabin,with 9.9 Yami 4 stroke,TR-1 auto pilot,trailer and many other goodies will be up for sale this spring.

I've lived in Buffalo/Niagara area my whole life. Avid fisherman on both Erie and Ontario for walleye,salmon,and steelhead. I have never understood why L.Ontario does not freeze over the way L.Erie does, atleast parttially each year. Someone once told me its because Ontario is so much deeper. That makes no sense to me. I mean L.Erie does not freeze solid from surface to bottom of lake!! So what does it matter how deep the lake is??  As of today L.Erie is 100% covered with ice. Yes I'm thinking of spring Kings!! Maybe alittle late this year!!

With those 34" fly leads are you running the 8" spinny or the bigger one ,I think its 11"?? Also what kinda speed at the ball are you rrunning?? Thanks for s good report.

You and I have identical boats. Found my 1997 outrage 225 in sandusky last fall. Shes never had riggers on 

her.Was used for walleye trolling with inline boards only.Been trying to get it rigged for L.Ontario last few weeks.Weather has been a awfull for working in the driveway.Every chance I get to work on it it rains. Anyhow good luck with your new boat!

Replaceing tired old cannon mag10s from 80s & early 90s. Been running 12lb round balls for many years. Probably going with new cannons or maybe scotty HS electric riggers.These new riggers can handle up to 20lb wieghts.I'm leaning toward 15.5lb torpedos from Atomic.Theres others to choose from though,any advice on this?? Also with torpedo type wieghts how do you carry them when there out of water,running,trailering etc.. My ball buddies always worked great with the 12lb round balls, running,trailering etc.Will ball buddies work with torpedo style wieghts?? I like running same wieght and shape riggers on all there rigs. Plan on goin after those really deep Kings (100-200ft) down. Any advice thankyou. 

Theres alot I like about the ravens team,biggest thing is they beat brady & belicheck!!! But because of ray lewis I'm really wanting niners to win. Ray Lewis disgusts me,even though he has been a good football player. I think he's one of the most self centered people on this planet.I remember the double murders back in 2000. Back then I had a bad taste the way that ended up. I think he bought his freedom,and the victims famillys did not have the resources to really find justice. I followed the details of this case and they don't add up to the outcome.His latest contoversy with deer antler spray what a joke! This guy is a pathalogical liar and a murderer, thank god its his last football game! Go Niners!!!

My persomal opinion is the whole florocarbon thing is a bunch of BS when your talking about trolling for salmon and trout on lake ontario.Florocarbon is for trout fishing in a three foot wide stream, trying to sneak up a a fish sitting behind a rock or log. On L.O. its whole different environment.These big fish are going to hit your bait because you've triggered there predater instincts by being in the right location with the right bait the right color at the right depth and most important your going the RIGHT SPEED!!! Yes I've bought my share of florocarbon but I honertly can't say it made a difference vs. my favorite brand mono which is big game 20# or 30# on flasher fly rods.Think about all the stuff you got down there.Rigger cables,wire diver lines,leadcore, copper line,rigger balls. Do you really think that King is stopping dead in his tracks cause he saw your fishing line??? IMHO after twenty something years fishing LO

We run 30lb 7 strand wire on all our diver rods.Have always run #1 dipseys.This years kings seem to be running deeper then ever.Gonna buy a couple Mag dipseys.Chart that comes with them useless, its based on 20lb mono. So how much wire out to reach 100,110,120,130,140,150 fow on a 2 or 3 setting??? Had a great morning on may 1st rigs down 70,80,90 divers out 160 to 180. Bite died about noon time for all rods.Before we quit, tried rig down to 120ft it fired in 5 minutes,big king. Put 2 other rigs down 120ft they fired too, with big kings. Anyhow,I know my #1 dipseys no way will get beyound 100ft.Anyhow appreciate any info on running Mag dipseys with wire. Thanks Mike

Hmmm-misunderstanding.... I have 2 wire rod and reel combos that are old and tired.I'm hoping to replace these two.My other 4 dipsey combos are eagleclaw starfire 10ft rods with 30lb powerpro on reels.These are used mostly for trolling for walleye on L.Erie. There abit light duty for L.O..To have real high quality wire rod and reel combos is much more important on L.Ontario then it is on L.Erie .Many days on L.O. our divers take more then half our catch.The best fish of the day has come of divers more days then I can count. Divers,lead core,and copper used be called junk rods.These days they produce over half the catch for many of us.On L.O.it makes since to me to have quality diver rod and reel combos more then any other rod.

Where can we get Ito flies? Who makes them,who sells them? An place on line to see selection etc..

I'm asking myself the same question.I've heard the Talora roller rods are great wire dipsey rods.Especiallly when paired with Tekota6000LC reels.I've been running okuma blue diamond 10 ft medheavy dipsey rods for 10 years.With twilli tips.One of my blue dimond rods the reel seat has let go. Reel is flopping from side to side.I like everythig to match so I figure I'm gonna replace all my dipsey/rod combos. It will be expensive but I'm thinking Telora rooler rods with Tekota600LC reels x 4.I'm wondering 7,8,,9,or 10 ft. rods??? Currently I have 6 diver rod/reel combos.All my current diver rods are 10 footrs. Any opinions??

A dipsey rod of each side of boat can be very very productive. Line counter reels with either 30 lb. mason 7 strand wire or 30 lb. power pro is the way to go.Dipseys are usually set somewhere between a #1 and a#3. Many run 4 dipseys at one time. Twol of each side of boat on different settings with different amounts of streech.

My guess is by end of april this year it will be an all spoon and flasher fly bite.The early bite on stickbaits can be real good cause stickbaits imitate smelt.smelt spawn earlier than alwives then disperse onto the lake.That will happen earlier then ever this year cause of warmest winter/spring ever.Stickbait bite will be done this year by mid april in niagara bar area. For Kings from late april till end of season my experiece has been use alot of green and glow. Double crush sindocs with hammerflies or noseeuns also mountain dew crush glow spindocs with same flys.Run these combos of your wire divers. Spoons can get hot,I'd run em of riggers.Atleast half spoons should be mags.Colors, NBK,Spooks with green ladders or purple ladders.If you have a probe target 42 to 48 degrees,down speed about 2.5mph. My prediction is Kings on Lake O. will be bigger then ever cause of warm spring/winter.Good luck!Expecting a great season!!

Correction on E-address. [email protected]

I'm interested if the boat is still for sale.mikemongan@roadrunner. Thanks

What do you use for tow line and mast? How are they in rough water compared to other boards?

Has anyone used these small (14") boards that are supposed to run as good as big boards running multiple lines in rough water.My big boards are beat up and its time to build new ones or buy new ones.Easy to store and easy to bring in is what they claim.They reccomend power pro 120# for tow line.Sold in some shops along L.O.. Any opinions,thanks. Mike

Absolutely we should be able to run 3 rods per man!!! Its almost unamerican to think there is such a limit, especially in these economic times,not to mention declining #s of fisherman.If you can afford to run 3 rods you ought be able to so long as your obeying creel limits.Most of us know that running more rods in no way guarantees more fish, some days it might even hurt your catch. Its a no brainer.Remember when you couldn't buy beer on Sundays? Just another outdated bluelaw!