ReelPower

Hey big water I was docked next to your sweet rig, 22' trophy hardtop here. I said a quick hello on the dock on the 14th and gave ya a beep beep as we headed out deeper passing you in 150 fow about 8 am. We also had a way early fish on the 13th (then nada) and thought I should try the night bite but couldn't fish 24/7! Must be getting old.

Bite was real strange and inconsistent. A couple days the evening bite was decent, then other days nada. Same with the morning. Most interesting was the quality of the fishing in the late am and early pm. We had two days when first light through early am was dead quiet, then at exactly 10:00 am they started to eat and eat well. Perhaps this was because we were focused on deeper water kings. Mid-day fishing was consistent throughout the week. So if it ain't on fire at first light keep at it. Speed changes were very important. The biggest fish (27lb) hit when the kicker crapped for a minute and ball speed went down to 1.5 on the "glide". Many hits on speed changes of .5 mph or more. Some eye candy for the internet anglers:

Popped a 13 lb. hatchery Atlantic 55 down over 100 fow just west of Wilson last week, spoon fed. 1 st one of any size ever caught in my trips to Ontario.

Fishing Report Your Name / Boat Name: reel power ============== TRIP OVERVIEW ============== Date(s): Time on Water: pm Tuesday, all day Wednesday-Friday, am Saturday Weather/Temp: calm clear hot Wind Speed/Direction: variable to none Waves: 0-2.5 Surface Temp: 73-78 Location: Niagara to Olcott LAT/LONG (GPS Cords): =============== FISHING RESULTS =============== Total Hits: 60 ish Total Boated: 24 ish Species Breakdown: kings, an Atlantic, couple steelies Hot Lure: spin doctor blue dolphin, blue fly. Trolling Speed: 1.5 to 3.2 Down Speed: Same Boat Depth: 75 fow to 450 fow Lure Depth: primarily 50-80 foot down ==================== SUMMARY & FURTHER DETAILS ==================== It wasn't't easy fishing but we took some real nice matures. Kings were spread out all over the place, really had to work your waypoints once you got bit. 330 fow was best but got 'em in 220 fow real well 180 fow and 75 fow one morning. Temp was not well defined, we targeted 42-48 degrees which was 50 to 100 foot down. Wire divers on 3 setting were best out 200-300, slide diver or braid dipsey on 1 out 180-200 produced (especially the slide diver), riggers were off and on. Spin doctor fly combos in blue/green chrome or transparent green/chartreuse with glow were best. Speed changes triggered bites. Lost a fair number and had an annoying problem of many good fish taking a swipe/bite then gone. Right in front of Wilson was the most consistent bite. Really targeted matures so not many steelies caught but we did catch a 13 lb. Atlantic salmon in 100 fow.

Easi-troll hs by cannon- bombproof. You will be buff fishing past 100 fow!

What a selfless and classy move by Robert. A big fish has his name on it.

Parlay!

Hey Mates coming up from Cleveland for 4 1/2 days of king fishing next Tuesday through Saturday, docked in Wilson at the Boatyard. If anyone is fishing the same general area (border to Somerset) during that time frame and would like to share intel on the kingers shoot me a pm to get in touch. Or if you fished that area prior to my arrival and can help a brother out I would be very grateful. Tight lines to all. Jarrett

Used but well cared for 22-25' hardtop w/minimum 260 hp engine and a kicker for trolling and safety. Sportcraft 252, 222, Trophy 2460' 2160 2459, 2352, Baha are some common makes and models. Great market still. You will need $8,000 to $20,000 depending on vintage and condition. Low ball fixer uppers are out there, count on throwing a slug of $ into any project boat. Don't forget the acronym: B.O.A.T. = Break Out Another Thousand. Quite true. If you go for a smaller aluminum be very aware of conditions and safety. 18' minimum, main and kicker engines for redundancy. I like Starcraft. Expect used prices in the $3,500 to $10,000 depending on vintage and condition. Boat us has towing/trailering insurance and is a good source of info to get started. Respect the lake's power and remember many problems go from inconvenient to life threatening due to a failure to have VHF radio, cell phone, gps, life vests or a working bilge pump. Operator panic is another source of coast guard activity. The Great lakes are an awesome resource. My 22' trophy hardtop is on a trailer or docked depending on what fishing I am planning onErie or Ontario. Jarrett

Steelies are nice be we hunt the white whale Moby king who swims off the Niagara. My 22' trophy hardtop will be docked at the Wilson boatyard Tuesday-sat morning, stop by if you are in the area. I'm always happy to share intel via post, pm, or beers! Jarrett

Damn I'll be up there in 6 days hope the Niigara kings come around. Thanks for reporting.

Nice fish thanks for the report. [ Post made via iPhone ]

Thanks for the report. Hope the fishing sets up and improves as I'll be fishing from Wilson July 10-14.

I think you need a bigger cooler!

Awesome yak results! Be safe.

For once my post is not a call for insight and input into maintaining "this old boat". It is a report on the second best thing I've done to "this old boat" (repower takes first place). I've trolled my 1989 2160 trophy off the main, with large buggy bags, for three years in Erie and Ontario. This season I pulled the trigger on a 2003 9.9 merc two stroke long shaft remote mounted off the factory swim platform, separate 6 gal. tank on platform, ez steer and helm controls. Appx. $1,890 professionally installed. For anyone on the fence about the expense of an aux. kicker here's the difference: With the kicker I can control speed to 1.0 mph in waves to four foot w/o bags. Off main 2.1 was possible with bags in sloppy seas. Kicker burns 2.5 to 3.5 gallons for 8 hrs trolling. Main will burn appx. 9 to 14 gallons for 8 hours. Kicker is elec/pull start and charges batteries while trolling or in a pinch if I accidently run them down. With only main engine leaving a light or two on could be a problem in the am when staying onboard overnight. And peace of mind should the main go plooey for some reason. Never wihout a kicker again. Gas savings per season for me estimated at $300 based on 90 hours trolling per season. Main hours minimalized. Speed control and safety increased by factor of two. Investment pays for itself in two to five seasons depending on your boat, seasonal trolling hours, gas prices, resale value and personal valuation of speed control/safety.

Pulleys reduce the force required to retrieve. Your rig is so $&@&$ sweet you should look at cisco fishing systems high torque electric aluminum reels and pulleys. Can't be beat and remote controlled. Pulling big boards by hand reel gets old fast and the good boards/line will bust plastic reels eventually. My cisco reels are run off the vertical hard top handrail and the big jon pulleys off the horizontal hard top handrail with remote controls at the back of the hardtop/cabin for mates to have good line control when pulling boards.

Having sold some recently to move up to electrics, i'd say $75/easi trolls per unit, $125/unitrolls per unit shipping extra. Get some burly mates to crank 'em.

Crank the black's tension and watch your hookup ratio skyrocket. Yeah some shakers get on there...watch the tips, check the rods.

I like that biology lesson! If my fuel tak replacement occurs by the end of this summer I will attemp to prove your theory correct.

Thanks for the link FSN, I need to register at iboats to see thepics but looks like a good thread. I don't think I'll have the $ to split the hull as I don't have the shop and tools to do it myself. Would be a fun project. Saw another trophy split threadand it gaveme a good look at the tank under the deck. Probably gonna have to cut a little in front of the tank...tank is 36x36 and engine compartment opening is 34 wide tapering to 30 at the transom and 36 long.

I had the fill line replaced, it was a tight run but not too bad. Tank still gives me the drip leak into the bilge. Tank is slightly largerthan the engine compartment opening so Some deck cutting or hull splitting will be in order. $$$$$$$$.

I put 30 gallons in the tank after commissioning, drove to marina, had about one gallon in the bilge. Checked fill hose, found weeping/cracks, didn't find gas under weeping area. Had filler line replaced, no more gas in bilge for 7 days. Thought that was it. Went to break in new motor, found another gallon in bilge and some had leaked out drain hole. Boat had been moved by marina, had boat tilted up with tow motor to drain gas into container and make sure it wasn't leftovers from the first gas stuck in the front bilge. Saw continuous drip from tank area after draining, pure gas. Went back to marina several days later, no drip. Looks like a real $h!tt/ place to cut the deck on the 21'.

Boat just kicked me in the teeth a couple weeks before my salmon vacation. Despite the new base engine, new kicker and routine maintenance the old girl still had a fit. Hole in the tank somewhere, can't see under the tank far enough to get an exact location. Gonna drain the tank, have the engine pulled and cut the bulkhead to get at the tank. Prefer not to rip up decking as there's a bunch of weird angles, stepdown and a baitwell in the vicinity. Anyone perform this repair on this model or similar model w/o cutting access through the deck? I know its a longshot but hey why not ask?

Had the big jon manual reels off the hardtop post and grab rail. Busted a spool quick, big jon replaced it. Got some boards that really pull, manual reels just couldn't do it without dropping into neutral and cranking like a mad dog. Went to Cisco electrics, 500 braid, amish azak boards. Love it all, keep the boat at minimum trolling speed and zip those boards in or out.