Sk8man

Nice fish. Looks as though the lampreys are at it again too.

Tuna's Reel Troubles reel repair has the carbon fiber replacement drag washers for them. He's real good about shipping quickly etc. http://stores.tunasreeltroubles.com/StoreFront.bok

Launch at north end of Canandaigua is open as of this afternoon.

Neither do I but it will be on Seneca Kev

Broadhorizons - Make sure that the measurement is for the same dimension that is inside diameter vs, outside diameter. Sometimes places list one or the other without regard to specifying it.

That would probably be the ONE TIME that the wife would decide to be out there with ya

Good advice.....ice thckness is only ONE factor to consider. because when streams run into the lakes currents are set up that reach for large distances laterally and ice also rots in spots from gas pockets, bubblers used near docks etc. Even a float suit offers only limited protection from hypothermia which sets in VERY quickly. I found out just how quickly this year that 35 degree water makes your legs feel paralyzed and it takes you forever to warm up....not a great way to end the season let alone WORSE things that could happen. You almost always hear about people going through at the very beginning and end of the season which is when the ice is most likely to be compromised..it's not worth taking the chance.

There is a remote chance that I might have close to the record here at least for longest time in the derby....my first was about 1968 when I returned from overseas (military) and I've only missed about 3 or 4 since that point (in the hospital for one of them) The first few I still fished from shore with sawbellies (along the seawalll at the north end and off the Bellhurst dock) as I diidn't even have a boat back then Of concern nowadays is the number of entries though which have decreased over time ....I remember one year we had 2800 plus entrees if my memory serves me correctly vs just over 1200 or so last year. On the good side it isn't nearly as crowded at some of my favorite spots I look forward to the possibility of tangling lines with the Blueghost and Adm Byrd though

Hooked On Kings- Sounds good to me pardner. Always a lot of fun at the Point....in the old days you didn't have to be so careful of the beers either :>)

Not sure where exactly you are referring to over there but here on the south side in the US. As soon as the ice is out of the channels of the bays and launches its fair game :>) Its usually near shore stuff so you don't have to travel too far out in the lake to score big...you do have to be very careful though as the water temp is still in the mid to high 30's for most of the lake and there are very few boats around this time of the year no matter where you are fishing. My hunch is it may be a little later there before ice out?

There is still smeice in the middle esction of the channel at the north end launch ramp. It could go out tomorrow though if the hgh 50's predicted occurs. The outer part of the channel toward the lake is totally clear

My sense of it is that if you run your paddles closer say 6 ft. there shouldn't be a problem as long as you are using something like flutter spoons on the top ones.If you use something that "digs" down or diver stick baits there could be a tangle. I used to stack my downriggers and never had any problems except when I was using the old large dodger/fly combos and had a big rainbow go into the other line.

Don was right about the things he said regarding the way the handle bad weather aapproaching but when you have lightning happening it is imperative to get in as quickly as possible. It looks as though the motor you have selected is one designed for sailboats and therefore it is in all liklihood a longshaft motor which is good from the standpoint of steering if it matches up with our other motors lower unit etc. The weight of the motor (for a 4 stroke is good too). Something you may not think about though (until it is encountered) is that when you quit trolling and then put the trolling motor in the upright position you don't want it (lower unit and prop) to be dragging in the water when you are hauling butt back to shore. I have a long shaft (25 inch) 9.9 electric start on my whaler on a motorbracket which gets it up a little bit and when I am at speed with the big motor it just barely clears the water in the upright position. If your transom is low and /or you are not using an adjustable bracket to mount it you may need to check things out before hand in case you need a shorter shaft motor. I did notice that on second glance that the 5 horse pictured in the URL you provided is 20 inch which I believe is closer to standard than my 25 inch so you may be alright.

If you use wire line you will need to use mono backing before putting it on or you may have problems later on with the reel spool or line guide mechanism according to the reel repair folks (Tunas Reel Troubles etc.). It is recommended that about 30 meters of mono precede your wire.

Yeah....it wasn't me on the pontoon.. I'm a bit older and a littl e wiser now :>)

In an earlier post you mentioned that although your 50 horse Merc trolls down OK you wanted something for SAFETY as well to get your butt off the lake if things turn nasty or your big motor quits. The previous comment regarding getting a trolling motor your transom will (legally too) tolerate is good advice. I used to have a 13 ft. Boston Whaler with a 35 horse Johnson and a 9.9 horse Johnnson electric start kicker and I chased salmon and steelies out in the shipping lanes on Lake O (12 miles or so out (the boat was half the size of the dinghies on those boats :>)The 9.9 would push that boat about 12 -15 mph at top end in an emergency (in big waves)If the 35 had quit it would have taken me an hour or more to get back in at top speed. One time a storm came up while I was out there out of the west and lightning etc. I had to run for shore with the 35 at about 38 or 39 mph with the lower unit coming out of the water at the crest of waves. The waves were at about 12 ft or over as I made it back to Sodus Pt. The folks on the pier were cheering for me as I came in the channel because huge boats were struggling to make it back in. I was much younger and much more foolish in those days obviously but the story gives some insight about the importance of having a good backup motor on Lake O but that even with the largest one your boat can take you could still get into trouble out there doing foolish things. If the big motor had quit I'm not sure that the 9.9 would have gotten me back (in time). The moral of the story is "go big" on the trolling motor....but don't get over confident either about it's ability to save your butt. :>) And yes... I think I did have to change my pants when I got back in :>)

A main concern now though is even if you are in the right defending your own home in the correct manner (ie. last resort etc.) here in NYS the system is now in the posture and mentality of you being the criminal for even having a firearm let alone the civil implications of this crazy liberal mentality whereby you could lose everything you have worked for your whole life by trying to stay alive and protecting your family. On the other hand, I guess I'd rather be explaining myself to the judge than hoping to see St. Peter at the gate :>)

I guess they are kinda popular...they went up to $109 at cabelas and alll are "back orderable" now :>)

If all fails and you still want to run that deep leadcore.... do it from a downrigger (without sinker etc.) at slower speeds it should angle down below where it is set at.... five colors out with the release atttached to the beginning section of the mainline. If it is that deep it shouldn't be a problem with your other stuff and that far out back wouldn't be "connected" with the boat (sort of like running off to the side from the boards would - only deep instead of horizontal). You'd have to tighten the release a bit though :>)

Sampson is OK if it isn't

It beat the heck out of casting cleos etc. at Onanda Park ( Canandaigua Lake) yesterday and never getting even a hit:>) It was a really nice afternoon though. Thanks for the report on Seneca. I can't wait to rip that plastic shrink wrap off my boat and get out there myself....the worst part is it takes a whole day to load all my stuff back in :>)