Sk8man

Here is the sizing chart for folks to look at:

I would be using sizes 3 and 4 on the Finger Lakes....Possibly a size 2 as well. As far as rigging them....I've never tried them so I don't know how they do speed wise (which in my view is critical to setting them up). They should however work well on leadcore at slower speeds or top lining for browns way behind the boat though (esp the smaller #2 and 3's)

Welcome aboard Chad. I think you'll find a lot of good info here and some great folks eager to share their expertise with you.

If you can't get the 44's find some 22's they work just as well...

If you start getting big ones with them let me know....I'll scratch off the Sutton names on my spoons so the fish won't be able to read them

Good one AC thanks for sharing....that is one I missed along the way....

Guppy35 you have a PM

You could order it through Cabalas but Gander Mountain carries it ...not sure where you are located but other fishing outlets have it too.

The diameter can make a huge difference in spool capacity whether wire or anything else for that matter. If it is VISIBLY larger that's probably it...

Looks as though Ray is all rested up and back in usual form   I'm still laughing....

The diameter of that wire must be larger. Did you use backing as well (maybe too much)? Sometimes if the level wind isn't positioned right on the spool when you start out it lays the wire on kinda sideways too. Is it the usual 30 lb test or something bigger? I put 1000 ft of 30 lb. test 7 strand wire on my new 47LCSG3 with 100 ft plus of backing on it as well and it fit perfectly...must be the line diameter. I'd try to find out the line diameter of it and compare with  types of 7 strand and see what the difference is....

P.S. If you end up liking  the wire I wouldn't worry all that much about having 1000 ft on it...the more important thing would be filling the spool to the level that the line counter will be as accurate as possible. I don't think you'll be encountering many situations in fresh water where 1000 ft of wire will be out.

Very good info....almost makes ya want to go back to a 14 ft aluminum boat

Still haven't heard any update on whether Obama has made any decision on this issue

The Netcraft thing works great I've used one for about 30 years.....I think mine was less than $10  I also use it for the spring clips for my Seth Green rigs  

Guess I missed something here....I was suggesting adding split shot to the LEAD CORE leader to get it down deeper at the point where the leader starts not like on a top line . I have  pre setups for my lead cores (2 color 3 color 7 color and 9 color) on separate rods (part of the reason my boat is called White Porqupine....all the rods sticking up) not to mention wire rigs, copper, thermocline, and downrigger rods and 22 rod holders

Just get some 200 lb test mono used for salt water it is very abrasion resistant and low stretch and you can get a bunch of it on inexpensively. They use it quite a bit for outriggers on the ocean.

Ditto on that..,.. I was thinking the same thing....no sense making work for yourself....sometimes we can "over think" things and make them more complicated than they need to be....I'm as guilty as anyone of it

If somehow you can get to the Settings menu there appears to be an option for resetting to factory defaults (Under LANGUAGE). I'm wondering if you inadvertently hit one of the simulation option buttons that is preventing you from going back to the operational mode....I don't have one of these units just looking at the online manual....Page 42. Lowrance is known for their obtuse or absent directions by the way.....

There is a software update fr that particular unit...I wonder if there is a correction for the problem embedded in it? Worth a shot if you haven't done it yet.

Here's the update: http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Software-Updates/Elite-7/

Looks like you have saved the bait population by getting that guy    Nice brown!

Small black duo locks at the end of fluoro leader and very small barrel swivel to main line. Have them pre set up (do it at home) for different tests in little plastic bags so I don't have so much screwing around in the boat (e.g. trying to tie in the wind/cold hands etc.).

AC it sounds as though you had a good day on the pond...while you were out there I was taking the plastic off my boat and loading all my stuff back in...my back is still killing me from trying to drop those two batteries into the below deck compartment at an odd angle    Thanks to the wind there are still a couple fish left out there

My understanding of the UV and glow issue is somewhat different. It relates mainly to how bright the lure gets and for how long....and you can still get a nasty sunburn on a cloudy day by the way. The glow lures use a phosphorescent coating that maintains a low level illumination for a relatively short amount of time. It is activated by natural sunlight or when exposed for a length of time to bright light from say incandescent light from a bright flashlight etc. UV coatings respond to a different wavelength of light and are usually activated by a special charging unit that provides the right spectral wavelength and intensity of light to propagate light from the target object (lure). This propagated light can last from about 3 to 8 hours which is substantially longer than the glow lures. Whether they can be seen differentially at 100 ft. plus is anyones guess but the UV lure will supposedly last longer and may appear brighter. I think the thinking here may stem from the salt water environment where bio illuminescence occurs at incredible depths but this is a very different type of light given off by marine animals and plants....most historical research suggests that in freshwater most darker colors approach black at 100 ft. or more and lighter colors turn to whitish shades. The thing I have always wondered is when that research was carried out....is that what was visible to humans or fish....their eyes are quite differently constructed and how exactly did they determine those measured results?

Well, I couldn't take it anymore....looking a that plastic wrap on the boat everyday finally got to me.....as of 10 minutes ago I'm ready to rock and roll....but now is a tough time of the year...I'm torn between going after the trout or perch...the perch won out (at least for the maiden voyage for 2013) as I didn't feel like lugging out the 9.9

Once again thank heaven for the Coast Guard or they would have been totally screwed.

Nice to see that honesty is alive and well!