Play Dough

My understanding of interpretations of the regulations is that the trolling gear used in our type of fishing does not qualify as restricting maneuverability. It's a stretch, in my mind, that the lines deployed inhibit the ability to turn or stop a vessel. Certainly, your lines may foul, but that isn't a consideration in the rules...only in common sense and courtesy. Any ruling I've ever seen clearly indicated a Great Lakes troller was nothing less than a vessel underway. That's my take on it.

To clarify...a lead core color is 10 yards, so 2 color is 60' of line, 3 color is 90'.

Michigan Out-of-Doors did a segment last week on the Manistee and Muskegon with some success on both species. The little bit I watched didn't seem to indicate lights out fishing but they did have action. You can view that episode on their website.

Having the pilot and GPS linked was a nice convenience during a cruise. I rarely used the features locally other than when I was running to/from the port to just have experience with the operation of the features.

When I had single I/O boats, I was towed twice. Once a failed coupler, once for a timing chain failure. Both incidents occurred where commercial towing was available. That was no problem but very expensive if not insured for that (something to the tune of $200/hour many years ago). If you have no alternate source of power and need assistance, expect to wait quite some time if depending on the USCG. They will first broadcast a marine assistance request and wait for a volunteer to assist. If you are in a port with commercial towing available, you will be referred to that service. Tow insurance is cheap and I'd recommend that service to anyone boating on the Great Lakes. Some coverages will even cover the $100 bill you give to "Joe Fisherman" for his trouble to tow you in. A kicker saves hours on a V8 and provides emergency power, but I think I'd still carry the towing coverage.

Diawa Wilderness series is what I liked for riggers. Very inexpensive and the closest in action that I found to the original Daiwa "Great Lakes System" rods I used back in the '70s. I have a mix of Shimano, Daiwa, and Okuma rods for divers, cores and flat lines based on the action I prefer. I never found it necessary to spend a lot of money on a rod.

Wow...you would have had big issues back in the day when we waited a couple hours to launch at the Platte River when this salmon thing all began. Good fishing. Nice to hear there has been some success.

There's certainly a risk at this time of the year. It can still be cold and it's not at all unusual to get a major wet & heavy snowfall late March or early April. Just depends on your willingness to accept the risk and pay the $$$ and lost time should the weather turn for the worst. If you live in the vicinity of the marina and can get to the boat should a night or two of cold occur, you could put a trouble light in the bilge to heat it up enough. Of course that is trusting the light/heat/power source doesn't fail when you're not there. Outboard trailer boaters definitely have an advantage this time of year.