TyeeTanic

Boards hands down. You would only use inlines if you don't have the auxiliary systems to handle boards. Inlines are a pain when a fish is on. You're fighting the board more than the fish, and often if the fish can outrun the board, you can get slack on the hook and lose the fish. Boards is a much better fishing experience.

8.5 ft beam ... I'd stick with 2, or 3 at most ... 4 would be insane with stray currents or wild weather pushing your boat sideways (not wild enough to call it a day, but wild enough to make it fun).

Should be in feet. Decoy has it right. Try stopping the boat and dropping the ball.. you should get closer to what the chart is saying (you still might get some blowback due to underwater currents).

Braid. 30 lb braid. You don't want to use anything else because it takes up the least amount of spool capacity for a give line strength, and it doesn't stretch ... the last thing you want is you line guide to get out of sync with where your line is on the spool ... that's not a pretty thing.

Possession according to Canadian law is fish in your possession, immediate or remote (think in your freezer back at home), including fish you may have given away to others under your catch limit. I know proving that is difficult, but that's technically the law. So the only thing I can see working is you catch 5 in NY (within limit) and then travel back to PA to catch the last 1. It means you've complied with the catch limits while and at the time of being in both states.

Not that I'm an expert here, but if I had to play devil's advocate and put myself in the shoes of a NY authority, I'd say the following. The limit is associated with where you caught the fish, not where you store the fish. If you were caught in possession of all 6 of those fish on your way back to PA, but still in NY, what would happen? You would be charged, I would think. So really what would be happening is you would be over the limit (and breaking the law) hoping not to get caught until you are back in PA. Then no one would both questioning you, as you'd be within the PA limit. But if you were to admit you caught the fish in NY and kept more than the limit ... you'd be admitting to breaking the law in NY. I wouldn't do it.

I get your point, and probably as bad as the amount of stuff we buy in general, only to have it thrown away and end up polluting our rivers and lands. In the end, people will either be conscious and mindful of their actions or not. But rules should not be broken.

Exactly ... maybe the rules could be optimized a bit, but none of that helps if they don't enforce the rules.

Well, that's part of the problem. We can't fish the tribs, except for literally the river mouth openings to the lake (think first 500 ft of river) for another 2 weeks. The trout have been running up and down the tribs according to the counters. So in 2 weeks we are catching nothing but drop backs ... the grand majority have spawned, and there is much less risk of catching a loaded hen. Plus, unless I want one for the BBQ in the short term, most ethical fishers practice catch and release, and are pretty good about reviving fish, even if it takes 10 minutes. Conditions normally are pretty good reviving fish, as the water is still super cold ... As you know, catching on the boat (which I do as well), we pull these fish from 40 - 80 ft down in cold water and bring them through the thermocline in a flash up to 75F water ... that has to lower survival rate. I don't think it's fair to take away this amazing hobby from trib fishermen (in some cases it's a job, and certainly tackle shops benefit from it), as we have to be allow access to resources to all in the same likeness. Most people can't afford a boat, or a charter. It's crazy to think the gov't will stop trib fishing and let the lake fishing continue ... there will be a mini-revolution on government and lake fishermen alike. It's got to be fair. There's cheating on tribs, and it pisses me off to. There's also people that take advantage on the lake (take more than there quota, fish with more lines than their allowed to). It all comes down to respecting regulations and for those that don't we need adequate enforcement. So let me ask ... are the regs the problem (maybe, I'd stop trib fishing until end of April to give the fish a chance to spawn), or does the enforcement need to be beefed up?

Lots of stream guys are ethical, and practice catch and release. Not everyone can afford a boat. Banning roe might help, not totally, because it's not just used for bait, but consumption as caviar. Good luck trying to enforce that, if this is being done at night and people are then taking the roe into their homes for consumption. When is opener there? It's not for another 2 weeks here in Toronto.

What are you trolling for? I'd personally be attaching at least a 4 oz weight to the line no closer than 10 ft from the lure.

How fast were you going ... slow down to 2.5 mph GPS (as I doubt you have down speed yet). How deep were your lines? Try attaching weight, or use a 7 color or 10 color leadcore setup for your stick baits. If you use a weight, get something decent like a 4 oz weight (min).

1 x 5 color 1 x 7 color Deeper than that ... move to copper.

No mono on a dipsey ... doesn't work well. You do not want a stretchy line on dipsey. Rather go with braid, better yet, another wire.

300' for sure. I see a case for 400 and 500' ... almost begs to put braid in between 400' and another 100', but I'm sure guys will chime in about those two extra knots bothering them! LOL.

Hold on, wait just a minute ... WHO said anything about a person being in the right mind. We are all mad aren't we? LOL. I don't know, I'm bored ... I 'm not going to do that, but I'd imagine if someone has enough time on their hands, would be interesting if you could get that extra 30' out of a MAG diver.

It helps catch fish. It gives you temp and downspeed. It makes a difference. We are here to catch fish, if it helps in a material way (which it does), then it's highly recommended.

You could. I'd imagine when kings are 120 ft or more deep, you might be tempted to use a bit of weighted steel to get that mag diver down deeper.

Braid at least 30#. Leadcore already takes up half the reel, so why would you put on mono and get like 100' of it on. Use the braid and you can get on several hundred yards, so you don't get spooled.

I have a place close to Clearwater.

Nice, congrats to your 6 year old! Welcome back to the lake. By the way, where in Florida is your legal firm? I have a place down there too. I dream of the day I will own my own center console there and do some intercoastal fishing. The 15 lb Amberjack I caught two years ago was mightier than the 35 lb salmon we realed in!