TyeeTanic

Lowrance Elite 5 Gold - is worth every cent. It is a great unit for about $500. Color, dual frequency 83kHz and 200 kHz. GPS with navionics maps - user friendly, etc. If you want to spend more, there's better out there. Yes get color - don't cheap out on B&W. It tells you a lot, for instance color will show you if a fish is directly under you or off to the side of the boat (as the signal return gets stronger the colors go to red).

Wire and braid has no give. Mono has too much give, that's why it sucks on dipseys. You can't drag them out of the water with wire and braid - yes you can rip the hook right out of the mouth. Drag must be set to provide some resistance but must allow them to run as well. You want to be able to pull the line off the reel with one hand with a firm grip. Check your knots as well. What are you using? Also what about your rod - it is also a shock absorber - what are you using?

As mentioned above it is dependant on the size of the flasher - I didn't want to start confusing the guy. Trying to keep it simple so he can learn in moderation. Flies normally come with their leads anyhow - so just use this. Mark

30# torpedo - don't know why anyone would use 20#??

Yes, that's what I do - always have one line at 100 - 110 ft on an MC Rocket. Last week it took the biggest fish around 25 lbs.

Search for this - bud - I answer this question every week. My wrists are getting tired typing the same answer. Here is the quick answer. 1000ft, 30 lb 7 strand wire to the dipsey. 6 ft 30# fluoro to the flasher 6 ft 30# fluoro to spoon or meat 3 ft 30# fluoro to fly Mark

This is my exact setup too, and I have zero issues - in fact I'd never walk away from this setup.

To add a few: Bass Pro at Hwy 400 and Rutherford in Woodbridge (just south of Canada's Wonderland) - Big Store! Burns in Burlington at Fairview just west of Brant St.

The wire is stainless steel - The wire will kink and cut before it weakens from chemical degradation. I use mine for at least 2 years. Between tangles and cuts to free up lines - when it comes down to around the 600 ft mark, it should be respooled with 1000 ft.

I use exactly your setup, except for the reels which are Oukuma Convectors 30D. I do not use snubbers, I am one of those that believes they result in poor hookups. I have not lost any rig in over 1 year. And the one that I did lose ... it was the knot I was using to tie my leader. Fluoro type line is not the problem. 30# is not the problem. Wire is not the problem. Swivel is not the problem. I would check three things in order of preference: (1) Your knot. I use the uni-knot. Go to this link: http://www.thefishinggeek.com/fishing-k ... ing-knots/ (2) Your reels. I would definitely replace these sooner rather than later. Poor drag control will cause line snaps on big fish. (3) how good is your fluoro line. Is it old? Is it a decent brand (Seagar, P-Line)? Mark

Use 4 rods - a dispey on each side on number 2 setting, and the riggers in the middle. White and green dot SD, or green with black dot (frog pattern) SD. Glow Hammer fly Green Glow fly NK NGK green spoon.

Take someone out that knows how to fish. There's too much to learn, and we would need 30 pages and 10 hours to type everything out. All the questions you ask are good, but there is not one simple answer. Fishing is a system, and the system must change to suit variable conditions. Fishing depends on: - water temperature - lure speed - lure color - lure type (fly, spoon, meat) - presentation (length of lead, main line wire/mono/braid, flashers, riggers vs dispeys) - depth of line - depth of fish - weather (both what happen last couple of days, and how it is day of fishing) - wind and waves - moon phase - time of year That is just to get a fish on. Then you have to reel it in, and of course your tackle and gear is important here, as well as your technique. Mark

We caught a 12 lb (or so) coho this weekend. Nice fish.

Is money an object? If not, go with the Talora's - with roller guides. If yes, go with the Daiwa's or Rapala RSC's. Still not the cheapest but in my opinion the best value for money. Don't get the Eagle Claws - I have them - broke two last year on 20 lb fish.

Green dot NBK in the green pattern NBK in the purple pattern NBK in the blue pattern Hawg Wilde Flies: Bloody Death Green glow crinkle White crinkle Bloody death Hawg Wilde

Firstly wire does get deeper than braid based on similar diameters, due to the density of the steel being much higher than braid. That's what my Precision Trolling book says too. We are going out fishing this weekend and are using my wire rods over braid because the fleas are a pain in the arse with braid. I don't think braid is as good as wire when it comes to fleas. Wire is not difficult to handle. I learned how to use wire in about 3 hours of fishing. You learn the hard way once and then become an expert. It's simple - when you spool the wire, tie it to your spool and then tape the first rotation down with duct tape (right around the spool). The start reeling in nice and slow with some good tension to keep it tight. Next always keep the tension after using the rod and stowing away. If you see any coils be careful to uncoil before tightening or the line will snap like a toothpick. Use 7 strand 30#, it is pretty easy to work with. If the wire does break because of a pigtail (coiling), then you start seeing it with some of the strands balling up, so you can catch it and fix it quick. It isn't complicated, try it you won't be dissapointed. You will end up going this way eventually anyhow, and will eventually need to get through the learning curve, why not now?

The big boys are normally in 45F water, not 54F - that's too hot for them. Like I said "normally" - I have hooked fish out of temperature, but as a rule of thumb you want to be in the 45F. Fewer fish down there, so you probably won't get numbers. If you want numbers then yes go for the 55F and you will get a lot of bows and shakers - which is also fun.

I would go for a cheap wire dispey rod. Eagle claws are about the cheapest you will find. Wire, go for 7 strand, 30# torpedo wire or equivalent - 1000 ft. Reels, need something big enough for all that wire. Oukuma Convectors 30D are good. Dipsey's get size #1. You will be able to get around 80 to 90 feet deep with these. You'll need floro line (25lb or 30lb test) as a lead from dispey to lure, or to flasher/fly combo. I agree you'll want a fishfinder quick. You can get an entry level (black and white screen) lowrance for like $90).

Wire. Braid is useless when the fleas are out. They are out, have been for the past 3 weeks and will continue for another 3 or 4 weeks. Fleas will stick to your braid into a big blob and then you cant reel it in. Wire cuts the fleas off, no problem with reeling in. Wire gets deeper as well.

Yesserie Bob!

I was told it is a mimicing a salmon that has tried to strike the bait but missed.

I've been trying to hold them by the tail in the water behind the boat as we continue trolling. The small guys revive quick, but I've had poor success with the big boys. So really - can you guys tell me in enough detail what is the best technique, as I feel bad about seeing a big floating fish. Thanks!

No thanks - wouldn't want to put any more crap chemicals into lake ontario then I already am. I aslo don't get it, but have heard it might work. What I want to know is who is the guy who thought ... "I know, why don't we spray a petrochemical product all over my lure to see if that hits more salmon??"

Nope - I just put 1000 feet of 7 strand torpedo wire on my 30D and it fits perfectly.

I looked at the Precision Trolling Big Water Edition II - it has all the charts for mono, wire, braid - for different dipseys, weights, etc. Mark