Chowdaire

It’s called micro lead and it’s thinner than standard leadcore so the sheath is too narrow to fit the other line into it to tie the Willis. Depends on the diameter of the line you’re trying to join it with, obviously. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I only get them as by-catch but love to eat 'em when I do. Usually get 'em on structure, 15-20fow, on the North Shore or East end of the lake in March. Spoons tipped with a buckeye head near the bottom take the majority but I've also gotten a few cruising out deep 10-15' up off the bottom on a jigging rap. If you find them where they've moved up to spawn you can get a bunch in a hurry. They are great fighters. Good luck!

Thanks for the info! I already bought the drag upgrades and swapped out three 303s that I use for musky. But even after the swap out the drags don’t have the fine adjustment I hoped for. I’ll check out the Reel Repair materials. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

10# blue label for me. Bump it to 15 when the Kings show up. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Just saw that FishUSA has the reels I use 15% off today. The Okuma Cold Water 153D. Warning. The drags are what I would call sluggish. I've never had them fail or stick but they don't react well in small increments the way high end reels do.

I use 10# Fireline on a few of my planer setups for spring browns and Oneida walleyes. It's great stuff but if you're using a light leader you definitely want it on longer, lighter action rods to absorb the shock without popping the leader. If I was just fishing browns and didn't need the added depth for walleyes I'd probably use all mono mainline and fluoro leaders, which is also what I use on my rigger rods.

I actually use the link a lot. Both the motor controls on my solix unit and the navigation line auto pilot generates on the map. A lot of times I’ll just point the motor and the navigation line on the map will be off from where I want it. Having the line on the map allows me to see it and correct it before I get somewhere I don’t want to be. I also use the controls on my Humminbird when I turn off the touchscreen on my remote because it’s bouncing and hitting functions I don’t want. It’s real sensitive. You can turn the touchscreen off and just use the steering, speed and spot lock buttons on the remote. Then if I want the more advanced features I just use the Solix touchscreen and don’t have to worry about touching them accidentally on the remote. Not sure how much having those features is worth but since I already have the Birds it’s nice. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I use Daiwa Saltist 30’s for all of my divers. Love ‘em. They fit 1000’ of 7 strand perfectly. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

I run 30# Fireline on my outside divers. It works fine with a mag inside on 1.5 on 8' wire rods and outside on 9'6" rods with fireline and mag or regular dipsy on 3. The only reason I do it is because the Fireline setups are so versatile though. I use them for early season smaller divers, late season flat lining for stagers, big water walleye, etc.The Fireline doesn't seem to get fleas as bad as other braids so I can usually use them all year, although I have had short periods when those super fleas show up and I put 'em away for a while. If I was just fishing salmon I'd go with all 4 wires.

I think you're way over thinking it. Of my best spring patterns a couple can be considered natural, the rest are firetigers and bright oranges. Even in clear water. What are they matching? Also catch the bulk of my browns on spoons or long thin stickbaits even though they're puking up tiny shad shaped fish and/or gobies. To me it's about going through a rotation and finding out what's working in a given area on a given day. It's fun to think we're really clever and matching some hatch or something but my experience tells me that's BS (I'm not a fly fisherman so not saying anything about that.). And the SS Bayrat in goby pattern is a killer. I don't think it looks much like a goby but it catches a lot of fish and that's all that matters.

Beauties! Congrats Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

Awesome

I know. I was just joking because that fish is massive! Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

What the..,,,, Are you using these in that brown pic? Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

The secret is out! Just kidding. That lure is on my shopping list for spring already. I'm hoping I can make it to the show in Chautauqua at the end of April and Llungen will be there. If not, Team Rhino has some killer colors online. Another basic lure that consistently works for me is a Depth Raider. Two problems that I think cost me fish trolling are running too slow and too deep. I'm going to run faster on my top end and a lot more short leads this year.