kjb7486

Thank you for all the responses. Think I may give the 12 lb. torpedo weights a try. Do you recommend painting them black, with paint or vinyl coating, or leaving bare? I like the idea of vinyl coating to minimize potential damage to boat gel coat if accidently bumped against, but not sure of durability of self done coatings. I Home Depot sells a vinyl overcoat product called Plasti-Dip but don't want to be constantly touching up if easily scuffed or scraped off. I'm thinking voltage concerns are probably not an issue on lines of manual riggers (regarding positive ion control or black box control of voltage on wire cable and lead weight), so probably more of a looks and durability question. Thanks every one.

Adding Cannon Uni-Troll manual downriggers to boat this spring and have question regarding size and type of weight to use. I would like the ability to fish down to depth of 120 ft with manageable blow back. Will 12 lb. balls work or should I go with 13 lb. torpedoes? Thanks.

Does anyone have success catching browns off small dipsey divers with long leads out away from boat, or is this not stealth enough?

I like the sounds of your plan Iron Duke. I look forward to your results. I will probably pick up some super slims and give them a shot this season as well. I also have a handfull of NKs in size 4D. Does anyone have experience with NK 4D spoons? Thanks!

Thanks for the great replies everyone. The problem I have with Suttons is that they roll. Appears they are too light for my boat speed at idle. I do well on flashers and flies and Michigan stinger spoons though. Tried NK28s several times and have had a few takers (lake trout), but Stingers seem to be more productive for me on Fingers. This is why I'm wondering about Dreamweaver super slims. Never fished them and was wondering if they respond similar to Michigan Stingers.

Thanks for clearing up the rumors! $10 is a bit high, but much more manageable than the rumored $15. Will there be any changes in launching time slot? The past owner would not allow launching before 6:30 am. Many of us like to get out early before light.

Good job guys! Great shake down trip. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the great advice everybody. I have used peanuts with dodgers and cowbells, but not with flashers. I will give that a shot for lakers. I am most interested in trying to increase my success with LL salmon and an occational rainbow would be nice. Seems flasher and flies work most time for lakers. Thanks.

Looking for advice on spoons for Fingers (mostly Seneca lake). I have a limited assortment of spoons at the moment, mostly NK 28s and Michigan Stingers, and would like to purchase more. I have mostly been using flashers and flies but am starting to include more spoons into my program. I mostly target lake trout and LL salmon. What are your opinions regarding spoon type and patterns? I plan to pick up more Michigan Stingers and am wondering how the Dreamweaver super slims perform on the Fingers. Any advice is much appreciated, thanks!

This may be a dumb question, but one that has kept me from trying. A lot of people mention running a long line, either lead core or copper, down the chute off back of boat for extra line in water. If you are running riggers off corners of boat and divers off sides, how do you keep rigger or diiver lines from tangling with long line off back when you have fish on? Seems fish will swing to back of boat and rise, likely running into long line off back. Maybem I'm overthinking this? Thanks!

I notice differences in flesh color of lake trout caught in Keuka lake. Most are very light color and every so often I catch one with darker orange flesh. All the lake trout I catch in Seneca seem to have the darker orange color. I just figure it is diet related, but haven't been sure? I don't notice any difference in taste though.

Yes, let's hope $15 is just a rumor. It is tough enough to justify $10 to launch, especially when you want to go out after work and only have couple hours of daylight left. If $15, I will definately be boycotting the launch and heading north to launch elsewhere.

Sounds like a blast! Keep up the great work!

Great day fishing guys! Wish I was out there Won't be too much longer till boat comes out. Keep up the great work and posts!

OK, so I think I have it figured out. Looks like fixed pedestals have larger top plate for fastening seperate swivel stages to; whereas, swivel pedestals have smaller top plate for directly fastening downrigger base to. Guess I will stick with fixed pedestal risers to provide more flexibility, as well as saving $. Thanks!

G-Daddy, looks from your image that you mounted cannon low profile swivel stage directly to fixed pedestal riser. Is this riser made by Cannon or Traxstech? I can't seem to find any technical drawings or specs anywhere stating dimensions and bolt hole patterns of downrigger mounting risers by any of the leading vendors. The bolt hole pattern of Cannon low profile swivel stage is 4 x 4 inches. Are top plates of these pedestal risers, for track systems, typically 5 x 5 inches or so? If anyone can provide dimensions for top plate of Cannon and/or Traxstech risers that would be extremely helpful. I guess I can always contact them directly during the week also. I can save money by purchasing fixed risers and using the low profile swivels I already have if mounting will work out. Otherwise, I guess I will spend the extra for swivel pedestals and sell low profiles to make up for difference. Thanks!

Yes, great deal. Thank you bandrus1!

This is all great feedback, thanks! I knew I could count on the vast experience of board members.

I would like to mount two Cannon downriggers on boat gunwales using tracks and would appreciate any opinions before I go purchasing mounting equipment. Downriggers came with Cannon low profile swivel bases, but not sure if I can use these with pedistal mounts for track systems. Thinking 4 inch pedistal mount, but I'm not sure if I can fasten the low profile swivel stage to a fixed pedistal without some sort of adaptor plate as low profile swivel stage is rather large. Am I better off ditching the low profile stages and springing for 4 inch pedistal mounts with swivel top? Also, I am planning on using 18 inch track so that I can fit both a downrigger and seperate rod holder on each track. A 12 inch track would fit better and be easier to install, but would this be long enough for both rigger and seperate rod holder or should I stick with 18 inch as previously planned? Thanks for helping a fellow fisherman out!

Both my dad and I have caught them while fishing for walleye in lakes up in Quebec. Would catch them once in a while while bouncing bottom with jigs. Very neat fish for sure. The young ones have sharper spines and they get smoother with age. These ones were relatively small, < 2 ft., as the lakes are much smaller. Indians from surrounding tribes would work their way through network of rivers and lakes setting nets along banks and shallows to catch them during night when feeding. In the morning, they would pull them in their boat, strip eggs and release. We witnessed this a few times while fishing. Eggs are sold for caviar. Not sure what their regulations are?

Great fish! Congrats and thanks for sharing. Now I'm really getting the itch to drag boat out of storage.

Looking to buy one or two Cannon Uni-Troll downriggers in good shape. Looking for either HP or 10s with extendable boom out to 53 inches. Thanks!

Thanks for the reply LongLine. I definitely plan to use swivel bases. I will be fishing them off the back, but need extended booms to clear transom as mounts need to be forward on gunwales due to design of boat. Plan to swivel riggers around when setting. I'm confused with the Cannon Uni-Troll H.P. model though. I see some classifieds listing 2 to 5 foot extendable boom and others saying 2 foot boom? I am looking for extendable boom to at least 4 foot. Maybe need to go with Uni-Troll 10s? Thanks for any and all advice. ....... Keith

Looking to add mounting tracks to boat this season. Does anybody have experience with Cannon tracks for mounting downriggers and rod holders to boat gunwale? I have seen a lot of positive reviews for Traxstech and Bert's tracks, but am wondering how Cannon's compare. Thanks!

PM sent. Keith