Sk8man

Marty,

It looks like a good unit for some lucky dude but I already have a victrola rig (with copper wire), an A and S automatic reel (used with monel wire) and way too many other "toys" according to my wife (and she also thinks all my hobbies are "expensive" :>) These units are getting harder to find in good condition so for anyone out there "heres your chance" to experience the thrill of having a gigantic lake trout on the other end of a direct wire contact....no pole or other stuff ...just you and the fish and it is VERY exciting when it happens. My biggest was a 12 pounder on Seneca and I had quite a few over 10 lbs over the years too. The one tip I'd have though is to surely wear a leather glove or cut just the thumb and forefinger out of a pair of leather gloves to handle the wire....otherwise if it snags on bottom or a really big fish makes a run for it you could lose a finger....and that is the truth. The most successful folks I have ever known for lakers have been copper pullers (and other than still fishing with live bait (and perhaps very experienced "jiggers" ) it is the most deadly method of fishing for them.

One of the things you need to know but can't tell yet is the strength of the coiled spring in it. It has to be strong and in good shape in order for the thing to work properly. If it sticks a little WD40 often works wonders. Use a light oil for maintennce because grease will harden up in coller weather. Those units in good working order can be very deadly on lakers in particular in the Spring in shallower water with just the copper and no sinker but can also be used deeper (e.g. winter fishing) with weights with spoons (heavy ones directly attached to the copper wire (so you can feel everything on bottom when you drag it over it) or light flutter spoons with a short leader. The setup in the pic on ebay is set up with a small "flasher" rig which uses a short leader with spoon, twin minnow or peanut behind it with the weight dragging the bottom stirring things up and getting the lakers attention - often down deeper. It will work on any of the Finger Lakes but areas of the lakes where there is a cobble or stone bottom is best to get the "feel" of the bottom to know where you are at. You also need to perfect the "jerking" technique (usually a couple short strokes followed by one long one) to have success and it takes practice.

They have to be different frequencies (not just 50 vs 55 either but really different or you'll get interference because the units can't sort out where the signal "belongs". I installed a new depth finder this year but left the old transducer/speed impeller from my still working unit on the transom but I disconnected it (the depth finder) at the battery and the unit itself but it is still available as a "backup" if needed by just reconnecting it at both ends. The only thing you have to watch is the actual placement of the transducer on the transom because if too close and at certain angles the other transducer could interfere with the water flow over the new transducer messing up the surface readings (e.g. surface clutter....bigtime).

Very similar to my victrola rig down cellar but with different motor /orientation. Very effective for jerking copper on bottom oriented fish with old Pfleuger #4, and 5 's. My arm still hurts from remembering it :>)

Les

Good thing you got out bfore the weather turrned this afternoon :>) Good going on the fish report. I spent the afternoon rigging a brand new (Xmas) wire rig :>)....and yes....I couldn't wait until Xmas to open the package. The downside of it is having to wait for Spring to try it out.

Unfortunately my wife didn't give me an "ultimatim" this year (either her OR the boat) when she said I couldn't keep the boat in the bedroom any longer....I had to go with tent construction. :>)

More power to ya for for having the kahunas to brave it ! :>) My boat is all put away and I'm having withdrawal already and Spring is still months away....I sure hope ice fishing happens this year :>)

I guess BEFORE we get too far afield here it might be good to know whether there actually was a fish kill....:>) Maybe we're getting too desperate for stuff to talk about now that the fishing has "wound down" on the lakes for many of us :>)

Don't forget the livewell if you have one :>)

Thanks for the details....here is the link http://www.tompkins-co.org/health/eh/water/hydrilla.htm

If it is true it is probably connected with the current Federal and State effort to combat HYDRILLA which is the most aggressive invasive vegetation imaginable. It has been found in the southern Ithaca area of Cayuga Lake and there is much concern about trying to eradicate it before it becomes established there (otherwisw it will take MILLIONS of dollars to control ...if at all). If it isn't controlled at this point it will completely take over all the Finger Lakes and more (e.g. Great Lakes as well). It reportedly can grow FEET in just one day and literally takes over the lakes and all native vegetation. If they can control it at this point it will be worth some fish dying....or at some point in the future the fishing in these lakes will be a thing of the past.

Thanks guys....quite a bit to think over much appreciated....Best regards and best of luck to you folks in upcoming season.

Thanks. The reason I am considering the 40 vs. 30 is that the 40 has a 47inch retrieve rate vs. 35 inch on the 30 and if I decide that it isn't what I want for the wire rig I could then use it for one of my Seth Green (thermocline rigs) on which I use 80 lb. stainless wire for the main lines (reason for such heavy wire is to avoid the wire getting caught in the roller guides and roller tips of the rods ....which happens with narrower diameter wire. I will be using the reel with a salt water all roller/tip rod so on the bigger rod the size of the reel isn't as important as if it were to be used on a standard downrigger rod for example. It sounds as though these reels have a great DRAG system that is highly adjustable and sensitive. I have 9 older Daiwa 47h's and 2 47 H line counters which have served me very well over the years.

I'm looking at the Saltist LC (STTLW40LCA) for a wire rig and before laying out the $200 for it I thought I'd solicit any opinions from anyone out there who has used (or is using) them. I've already explored the Ocumas, other Daiwas, and Cabelas brands and have ended up here...

Thanks in advance for any information based on actual experience.

Thanks to an alert Guff I was one of them :>)

Might want to keep in mind that the actual weight of the cannonball and related drag in the water affect the strain on the MOTOR of a downrigger. The heavier the weight the more stress on the motor over time. I have used 8 lb weights on my Cannon Mag10's very successfully which I have had since 1985 (never any problem with them) and they still run perfectly and some of this may be the fact that they have only had half the capacity weight to bear over these years.

NOTE: There is a quirk to the website where you transact the payment for the Pass. Make sure at the bottom of the page you indicate QUANTITY and the address you want it to go to. If you don't catch that it will keep failing to complete the transaction....a minor pain but to know in advance you can avoid it :>)

I stand corrected....MOST of the parks. Treman is listed first in the list of those that the pass is good for ....here is the URL of those parks accepting it. http://www.nysparks.com/parks/park-resu ... ao=0&src=3

I believe that it allows entry into ALL of the NY STATE Parks although they mention on their site that some of those damaged by Hurricaane Sandy are not open on Long Island...and may not be for awhile. For those of us that use the launch ramps for fishing it is quite a bargain!

Guff,

Thanks much for that tip....the best one of the day! :>)

Les

Bob,

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well and good luck with the motor....on the upside they really made the motors to LAST back then :>)

Les

Bob,

I couldn't tell from the description of your trolling motor whether is was an older one with carb or newer with injectors. MY older 9.9 did the same thing and I added some carburator cleaner and Stabil to the gas and ran it awhile and it has run fine since. I have used regular gas with triple strength marine Stabil (with the 10 percent ethanol gas despite everyones precautionary advice) for years.

Les

Good report....kinda wish I hadn't put the boat away so soon this year but the winterization folks at the marina are closing up in a week or so and I didn't want to get caught short. It sure sounds as though the landlocks are really coming on strong in Seneca as there seems to be an abundance at this point of small ones....lets hope they make it into maturity and provide us with some great action...

That is pretty spectacular video. On the downside it sure gives a clear indication of the magnitude of the lamprey problem! I think that given the fish were chasing the SpinDoctor/fly I wonder if shortening up the lead from the doctor to the fly might help by making it more "active" and maybe it even would suggest that slowing and quickening trolling speed routinely might generate some actual hits....very interesting stuff...just some thoughts...that camera is the "nuts" :>)

Jack you have a PM