HB2

I have an1986 alumacraft 16 , basically the same thing . Been debating redoing it or getting something newer . But I love the boat . Great multi specs boat . If I were you and were redoing yours I would not have the rear casting platform . I would make the rear deck to the motor well same height as drivers seat floor to lower center of gravity . Better and safer for trolling . Also lower front deck . I made a small casting deck just ahead of my motor well I stand on and my tanks and batteries are under . The rigger board is easily removable with 4 screws . My first boat I had my riggers on the back corners and they were hard and unsafe to set and adjust . My dilemma is the motor which is a 1886 35 Merc . It runs good and pushes boat fast enough for me but I would like something newer As nothing lasts forever . A new 40 hp is 5 k min .add in cost of rehab and that would be like 7 k + . But it would be new and last me probably the rest of my life . Good luck on your project and let us know .

The one above looks like a fish that came up to take a look , depending on lead . The first pick looks to me like fish that could have been spooked by the weight and dove a bit . Or came in to take a look at aslider or stacked rigger as those marks are above the ball . Could it be the same fish that came in to take a look , faded back , took a second look , then a third ? Hard to say for sure .

Also, if you have a wide angle transducer cone , the bigger and more distinct the hooks will be as the fish will be in the cone longer and distance to fish on the outside compared to center is farther . A narrow cone the fish will be in the cone for shorter time , so a " flatter " Mark . And they are more accurate IMO. The above pic looks like a fish that came up and took a look or bumped your lure IF , IF ,you lure was at the outside edge of the cone . Otherwise , it was a fish you went over .

If you know how a depth finder works , you would understand more of what you see . Those marks you see may be fish on the outside edge of your transducer cone . When I see hooks , those to me are inactive fish staying in your cone as you drive over them. My favorite thing is to see what I call slashes as these are fish swimming around , looking for bait. They are in and out of the cone fast . The distance to the outside edge of the cone is farther than the distance directly below to a fish at the same depth . Thus the hook . If that makes any sense . It really should not matter if your transducer is tilted a little .

If there is 30 to 40 ft between the lure and diver, does color really matter ? I own 2 slide divers , 1 I got at the show last year with the mag ring . Pulls like heck gets down to 100 ft with 65 # power pro . Black . Another I won many years ago that was one of the originals according to the guy at the show . I like it best. Gets down I figure 80 ft . It's lavender. I tried it close for staggers this year . Put it back 40 ft . Max side setting and put it so it was maybe 6 to 8 ft under water with like 8 to 12 ft of line rod tip to diver . It worked . I would think the smaller size would be excellent for spring fishing used that way with longer leads . Still would rather use my riggers .

If the water is 20" higher this year , or even 10" , it will be catastrophic . Many dwellings will be severely impacted or lost . All this rain is certainly not helping .

That is the problem when you have a one man show . D took Lamars legs out of the game and look what happened . Been telling my boys for a while now , for as good as he has looked , he will be a flash in the pan .

I hear high water pants are coming back into style .

To each his own I guess, Never really saw the need as an Albright knot is very strong and can't remember it ever breaking. I use it for all my fishing tying 2 lines together . 0 problems . I trust my knots . The less to fail the better IMO . I figure if it ain't broke ,don't fix it . I see no advantage. I use to use micro swivel for fly tippet and float fishing but one day I ran out And was forced to use an Albright , and never went back . Line twist is never a problem for me .Flashers come with BB swivel and I have one on the rod so that's double protection. For my riggers I run the 30 # main and a 25 ft tippet of 17 or 20# which is my usual lead from release .

They make big Flatfish with small groves on the sides ( Alaskan guides were using triangle files first) so you can wrap a piece of cut bait with thread on for kings . Always wanted to try it but never did

Albright 100% mono to mono . Why would you use a swivel ?

Temp is overrated IMO. I start my probe rigger , usually a flasher , at 48 to 50 deg to start . Then fish my other rigs above and below that . And , I fish the marks. Did great doing that for many years before a fish hawk

I have 2 . They are adequate IMO . But I sure do like my 47 H s for riggers . If it were me and I was going to add a diver it would be a slide diver . For flashers , a reg dipsy is good but for spoons , I do better with a length between the diver and spoon . Wire to 30 to 40 ft of 30# mono , bead , small swivel , 6 ft 15# to 20# Flouro or mono , ball bearing snap , lure .diver goes on 30# section . I substitute braid , but I do well with this setup , especially on slow days .

The water was high and cold. If you fall in over your head , the cold will shock you pretty good . If there is current and you don't know what to do and panic , I could see it happening . I parked at Mr Salmons and walked down the Cliff to the Archers hole . I tripped on a branch and fell in over my head . I can still remember the shock of how cold the water was. It was 20 deg that day . I left immediately and by the time I climbed out and got back to the truck, my clothes were frozen . With the we amount of traffic on the streams in the winter , I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often .

Are those Penn 209 s ?