DarkBlue

I can't say for sure how much they are in your area, but around here in Mansitee they run anywhere from $400 to $600 or more. Most of the charter guys I know don't mind the questions, so don't be afraid to ask. Another idea you may want to consider is getting a ride from someone on here and learning the ropes that way. I see open seat postings all the time on this site, and there are some very experienced guys and gals here willing to take you out and teach some great techniques. Just throw out a few bucks for gas and it's all good. If you are ever up in Manistee give me a shout. I have open seats all the time. Good luck, Chris

Longer is better. Minumum 10ft. Handlining can be tricky without enough people, but you will put more fish in the box. Chris

I like the honey idea. Think I will try that. Thank you sir. Chris

The dog's reports are just like a good book. Lot's of pics, not so many words. Nice catch sir! Chris

Everyone talks about Lord of the Riggers for best pricing, however I have never used them. They are a sponsor on this site. From what I have read they are tough to beat. Chris

Gah..WOW! I think I see one of my lost spoons in it's mouth. I thought I had hooked a submarine before the line broke, but now I understand. Chris

Most of the charter guys here in Mansitee that I have talked to are saying that the fishing should be heating up here by mid-june. With the weather we have had I have to agree with them. There will be fish here, and you can always run south to the stick which should also be good. I am thinking that we will be seeing some big fish this year based on the early warm up, and if last year is any indicator we should be seeing an abundance of bait. Hopefully that all adds up to a thirty pounder in the boat for someone. If you like throw me a PM as the time gets closer, and I will give you a report. Good luck, Chris

I should have mentioned I now use bags with the new boat and am much happier with the bags. Chris

I used an auto-trolling plate on my old boat, and it worked well. It brought the speeds down to low 2's. Sometimes much slower depending on current/waves. Chris

Dave, I have had good success with large husky jerks for salmon, especially early season. They have a great roll at slow speeds, and a slow rattle to attract fish. Sometimes when it's real slow they will catch fish when nothing else is working. The only problem is they don't last long. They don't stand up real well to the hurt a big salmon can put on them. Chris

How about spitballs at 20 yards Tony? If that doesn't settle it then we may have to go to the thumb wrestling. In truth I'm really just window shopping right now. Chris

Both make GREAT products! Like Matt said the greens and blues are always good, but the red head on the Black Mamba is at times fantastic. Especially after the sun is high and fish have moved deep. Chris

Any other pics?

You can upgrade some existing Minn Kotas to Ipilot for about $450 dollars. Cabelas has a list of pre-existing models that are easy to change over. I plan on upgrading my V2 soon. Chris

NBK, mixed veg, caramel dolphin, blue dolphin, green dolphin, moonshine happee meal, Michael Jackson, fireball on a 5 color is alway good, monkey puke, Kevorkian, moonshine flounder pounder and a whole bunch more that I can't think of right now. Chris

I keep my coppers completely on one side, and lead on the other. That way I know they are not tangling. Usually it's two or three to a side, but when it's tight sometimes just one. Chris

Yes they do. Chris

A friend of mine who runs a big boat here uses them exclusively and loves them. I've used them on his boat and I can tell you that you will like them. Chris

I cut whole herring into two strips and keep them in a brine. I have used whole herring in the past, but I obviously can get a lot more bait by stripping them. The brine is a mixture of water, kosher salt, Borax Twenty Mule Team and the natural herring oil. Chris

Green earlier in the year, and switch to blue later as fish get bigger. Chris

I use swim noodles. Make a small cut and slide the knot end into it, and then wrap the fly around it and bury the hook into the foam. I use them in about two foot sections and they store easily especially if you are using single hooks. Chris

Some of the worst accidents I have seen have involved snowmobiles. If it's not alcohol as a factor than it's speed or inexperience, and all three combined is the worse animal out there. Saw a guy one night miss a turn to a trail from a road, and hit a snowbank and launched him along with his sled about 40 feet through the air straight into the side of a house and lived. The old timer inside never woke up until all the lights outside got his attention. Another night two guys on a sled were screaming across a lake, hit a small jette of land and launched themselves into a tree. I found markings on the tree almost fourteen feet above the ground. Both lived, but barely. I could go on and on. The thing about a snowmobile is if you do wreck, you usually have no one to blame but your self. And you give the other responsible riders a bad reputation. Same thing with motorcycles, or people that park boats on breakwalls, but those are topics for another day. Stay safe. Chris

You bet I do Matt. Sometimes it's all they want. Manistee and Onekama and sometimes a few others.

White on white/crush with a KRW Riverside fly always goes in on a low diver, and almost always takes multiple fish.

I use them for 5 color cores, and 150 and 225 32# coppers. They work great. Chris