Sk8man

Very welcome. I haven't tried any of them

https://www.navionics.com/usa/apps/navionics-boating https://developers.navionics.com/homepage/mobile-sdk-partners/

Yep no doubt about it. They also have enough equipment backups that they just send the reel out for someone to mess with I got a look at Marciano's stuff a couple of years ago when I met up with him.

"Different tools for different jobs" perfectly sums it up whether trolling or ice fishing and the element of the unknown is always there too even in shallow water Some years ago on Canandaigua I was fishing next to a guy in about 15 ft of water when he hooked something that bent his HT right over and he was using 2 lb test. After fighting it for 45 minutes or more he brought the fish out of the hole....a 12 lb lake trout. Kind of a miracle on 2 lb. but if using 10 lb braid in deeper water the fish would have been in a lot sooner and with not so much concern

I remember that episode and I remember thinking to myself they are going to have fun dealing with that reel with the salt water in it.... not exactly a hundred dollar reel

The HT's do leave a bit desired with lake trout on the other end too so Keith has a point

I'm with Longspurs. I have about 25 ice fishing rod setups and I still keep going back to those HT Blue Ice 's but in the 24 inch size.

I know this may sound simplistic but it is something often overlooked - make sure all your hooks are sharpened. Carry a file onboard and sharpen on three sides of hook going toward the hook point.

Good points

You can usually figure about 5 ft per color (but depends on what you are running and speed of boat). I'd go with fluorocarbon for the leader running that shallow.

A lot of ways to go but the reel used to an extent determines things. You want enough backing when using on inlines and 200- 300 yds of 30 lb test braid should do the trick on the Fingers. Spring suggests shallow water use so maybe 3, 5, 7, color setups. Fluoro leader 10-12 lb test about 20-25 ft long for silvers can be shorter for lakers