ReelPower

OK, now back to the original question, How Long Will It Last? I've been wondering the same thing. I've only been fishing Lake O. for 15 years and have never seen kings like this in April/May. It really has been truley unbelievable on the east end. Do you think there will be the June "transition" or will the salmon stick around all summer? I know, it depends on the bait fish, just can't imagine it staying this good that long. I'm interested in everyone's input

Easy answer! A soon as the newly minted hole in my belly fuel tank is repaired (after pulling the engine, cutting the bulkhead and reversing the process) the Kings will sense this and swim for the North shore.

As my May 21-25 trip to Wilson is most likely kaput due to the fuel leak I will reasonably estimate that my tank will be repaired/replaced and reinstalled by June 20th.

So there you have it. June 20th. Then my salmon season will be screwed by lack of fish on the Southside rather than screwed by a boat that is trying to blow itself up.

Oh, did I mention the new engine and remote kicker that are waiting for break in due to the fuel issue? ARRRRGH!

June 20th.

Until then I remain quite available for anyone needing a skilled hand on a weekend trip.

You did miss the best fishing - 11:30 - 1pm. Go figure.

Almost full moon keepin' 'em fed at night?

What port where you out of?

Splitting the gas/dockage/ice bill is standard for my crew...buddies know we wouldn't be out there without the thousands of dollars and hundreds of man-hours I have into the boat and gear, so sharing the necessary trip expenses isn't too much to ask.

Do i need another boat to carry these azak boards reelpower?

No, they are collapsible. Both of my boards fit into a standard soft-sided bow case when not in use and collapsed. I put a piece of foam in between 'em to keep them from rubbing into each other.

Things pull like mad. Upgraded to Cisco electric planer board reels to avoid busting out the plastic Big Jon reels and to keep my rotator cuff in my shoulder.

Those switches are tricky when working correctly. Newbies will not hold down the switch long enough to stop the ascent, a quick hit on the switch causes the rigger to reverse rather than stop. Switch may be fine, operator may be the issue.

Not sure that is your issue as could not tell by the post whether the ascent was in progress when the issue arose or whether the rigger just would not ascend without going down first.

I am trying to find out what are the best modifications to be made to double keel otter boats. I have run a set lately with a full and a half keel, with the loop at 10" in the front and 14" in the back. They seem to run fine with spring baits. I will probably only run 2 coppers off of them at the most. Any thoughts???

Yeah, get some azak amish outfitter boards and run three coppers a mile long off 'em.

I can't understand the love of the otter boats when they need to be cOmpletely upgraded and redesigned to work with junk lines. Must be an Ontario legend, don't see 'um on Erie much at all.

Dad landing the pig, can't get better!

Fine work! Love to see the final result.

Panther has been recommended to me by a number of anglers and marine mechanics I trust. I run a kicker off a factory swim platform mount so no personal experience to share, just recommendations of others.

Take a picture right after you catch 'em, problem solved.

Dual use "boat wench"...hmmmmm.

Do you mean color of the meat and fillets? If so, bleeding immediately and then heavy ice, fillet without getting meat wet (if possible), pat down with paper towel and store with no water in the vacuum tight packaging. After cleaning thousands of salmon in ak this is the way to go for me, many opinions on this.

If you mean exterior color of the fish Ice ice baby.

Boat ready to splash...can't wait for my kiddos to catch a big trout too. nice shakedown and the missus is on board.

What a smallie!

Board floating higher equals less board in the water to pull and thus angle out to the side of the boat.

I've had similar boards...junk 'em and get a set from amish outfitters if your reel/pulley set up can take the pull.

Jarrett

The speed difference technically depends on the difference in pitch of the two props (info not posted) BUT based on boat weight and engine hp I doubt the difference is enough to get you down to slow salmon speeds 2.0 - 2.4. Bags or kicker for you. Check out Amish Oufitters beefy bags.

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capt v is dead on, with your weight/size and hp I bet the lower pitch prop is more suited to you engine's wot rating and will troll better and get on plane faster. You may even consider a drop to a 17 pitch, depending on your wot numbers.

Spring run salmon are becoming a normal sight in MI on the Manistee...could be this fish has that same genetic heritage.

An intersting excerpt from the In-Fisherman sheds some light on the winter habits of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Kings...

DEPTH IS NO BARRIER FOR KINGS

BY MATT STRAW WITH MARK CHMURA

Captain Mark Chmura tells the first mate to “send one downtown.†When the cannonball hits 400 feet, it’s not there yet. When this crew sends a bait “downtown,†people speaking Chinese pick it up on sonar. Chmura, the salmon-pro, angling-theorist, Renaissance man who came up with the Stability Zone, which we chronicled in our June 2007 issue, would like to announce that king salmon are biting, right now, in depths exceeding 500 feet all over the Great Lakes.

Recent findings by scientists working for the U.S. Geological Survey back this up, meaning king salmon go deeper than anyone previously believed, deeper than common lake trout, and on a regular basis. Roger Bergstedt, research fishery biologist for the U.S.G.S., says he implanted recording devices called “depth tags†in chinook salmon and released the fish into Lake Huron. “The data chip records depth, temperature, and time,†he says. “I’ve got over 30 tag returns from anglers, and these tags tell us there are more deep movements of kings than people think.

“Kings make a lot of vertical movements. They’re not hanging in there at 54°F all day. Any day. Movements to deep water are common and I’ve got to believe they’re down there on business. They’re hunting, and if you put a lure in front of them they’re probably going to take it.†Bergstedt says one of the tagged fish journeyed into the deepest water in Lake Huron, into depths exceeding 700 feet, during the night in winter. At daybreak the next morning, that salmon traveled from the bottom to the surface in a matter of minutes.

“One of the most interesting things we noticed in the preliminary analysis was that salmon were close together at night, and just after dawn they really spread out,†Bergstedt says. “Some actually went deeper at dawn, some shallower. If we plotted maximum depth by hour during late summer, they’re tightly grouped during the night at 55 to 60 feet. Once the sun came up, some fish went deeper than 400 feet. In winter, the deepest one we marked was within a meter or so of the deepest point in Lake Huron, or a little over 700 feet. In winter, the chinooks we tagged were 400 feet down at night, but they would come right up to the surface in the morning. They would be up there very briefly and head right back down to bottom. Tagged salmon were making daily vertical movements of 400 to 600 feet in a matter of minutes, sometimes once every hour or so. These were larger specimens, too. It seems smaller salmon are drawn to warmer water much of the time, but in winter they all head deep.â€

Thanks...nice report and that is a sweet browm. Can't wait to get there.

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Oh yeah if they are cold water loving critters I think that means they will feed more during winter compared to other species.

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Makes sense...fish deep water, find the alewives close to bottom before the spring spawn draws the wives in tight.

No one fishes this pattern, eh? I'll have to give a go if the April kings aren't firing shallow.

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OK Gents, here is the brain teaser: where do Ontario Kings spend the winter?

Absent abduction by aliens, they are out there. They must be eating. On top of the blue zone? On the bottom of the lake waiting for the fish gods to blow the Spring horn? Reading Cabelas catalogs? Near shore but no one fishes for 'em yet?

Seems like some over-eager angler should be able to crack the code but I've never heard of anyone trying. If I was closer to Ontario I'd be stupid enough to give it a shot or two just for the challenge. Seems like the first King reports are heralded with a fascination as to the King's "arrival". OK from where?

Interested in the sage opinions to be found here as I am a curious sort.

See y'all in April, Erie walleye are kickin' in the western basin.

Jarrett

Amishoutfitters bags, I prefer one on each side, at least 28" bag diameter.

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