SeaCatMich

I'm glad the shows are on, but honestly I'm not all that impressed. If they actually showed something about how they do the fishing -- methods, lures, reasoning behind decisions... it would offer a whole lot more value. Heck they spent very little time showing anything about what Living The Dream did -- one shot of Willis fighting a fish. My other complaint is that it does not really show the real results of the 333 contest, let alone the whole Tournament Trail event at the port. For this week's show, Living The Dream was the top boat shown and from the show you would assume they "won" the 333 for the port, but they actually only finished 6th (333 St. Joe results). Better than nothing, but could be much better in my view.

Going to post a report in a few minutes!

The Torpedo 7 strand is also good and better priced than other brands. I have one rod with the 19 strand and it is good but each wire is much finer and does not seem to be as durable to me. It is easier to tie to terminal tackle though. I too use a pair of Shimano Tekota 600LC reels for my wire divers but started with Daiwa SG47LCA reels and honestly for the cost difference, I think I would have stayed with the SG reels. Both hold 1,000' of 30# wire perfectly with no backing. Both reels have the same retrieve ratio. I went to the Tekota after hearing how great they were when they came out but I'm not all that impressed after 5 years. I would also recommend a quality roller rod. You can use regular guide rods with a Twillie Tip but a roller makes it a lot more pleasant to fight a fish with. I use Shimano Talora 9' roller rods and they are great. I had Okuma Blue Diamond rollers but they were/are much heavier in weight. I then went to 7' Talora rollers but found that they were too close to my outdown riggers for comfort -- wire on wire isn't a good idea

Matching your fly's leader length to the speed you run can have a very big effect on how well they work. Get the flasher or dodger to fly length right with non negative fish and flies can be a hot presentation. For the speed I usually run 2.2-2.5 mph on my FishHawk X4, a 23" leader for 8" flashers or a 28" for 11" flashers has been pretty good. I measure from the tip of the leader loop to the nose of the fly. Like Jim, I too have used the BW Vibrator heads with flies as sliders off my riggers with some success -- better in 2010 and 2011 than this past season.

Too bad. I was looking forward to the day. What are the odds that we could have another 50* day for some steelheading instead? My bet is for twenty something at best.

They look to be well made and have nice bag options. Kind of pricey though -- especially for the 48/106" handle with salmon size hoops.

Dave and Dan do this independently from GLA Magazine as the Great Lakes Angler Super Salmon School. Here is the link to their FaceBook page where the 2013 schedule is right at the top: https://www.facebook.com/GreatLakesAnglerSuperSalmonSchool

The 2013 Sea Grant Ludington Fishery Workshop is this coming Saturday (1/12) from 9 am to 3:30 pm in Pentwater. I'm driving up from the Lansing area on Saturday morning with another fishing buddy -- have two spots in the Avalanche open if anyone wants to go. Email me at [email protected] if interested. Is anyone else from GLF gong to be there? Here is the info I received a month or so ago from the MiDNR: Ludington Regional Fishery Workshop January 12, 2013 Comfort Inn & Suites 7576 S. Pere Marquette Hwy Pentwater, MI Cost is $10 at the door and includes lunch 8:30 Coffee and Registration 9:00 Welcome and Introductions -- Dan O'Keefe – SW District Educator, Michigan Sea Grant 9:15 Chinook Salmon Stocking Strategy and Tactical Plan -- Jay Wesley – Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit Supervisor, MDNR 9:55 DNR Management Updates -- Jay Wesley – Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit Supervisor, MDNR 10:15 Break 10:30 Great Lakes Water Levels Forecast -- Mark Breederland – NW District Educator, Michigan Sea Grant 10:50 Status of Lake Michigan Forage Fish -- Dr. Charles Madenjian – Research Fishery Biologist, USGS 11:30 Natural Reproduction of Chinook Salmon in Lake Michigan -- Randy Claramunt – Fisheries Research Biologist Specialist, MDNR 12:00 Lunch and LACA Tackle Raffle 1:00 Great Lakes Observing System -- Dr. Jennifer Read – Executive Director, University of Michigan 1:30 Who is Fishing and What are they Catching in Ludington and on the P.M. River? -- Tracy Kolb – Statewide Angler Survey Program Biologist, MDNR 1:50 Fishing for Extinction – The Role of Commercial Netting in Asian Carp Control -- Dr. Brian Roth – Assistant Professor, Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, MSU 2:30 Great Lakes Basin Charter Fishing Study -- Dan O'Keefe – SW District Educator, Michigan Sea 3:00 Big Lake Fishing Tips & Techniques --Capt. George Freeman – Free Style Charters 3:30 Adjourn Ludington Area Charter Boat Association Meeting to Follow

If you don't have any of the Chamberlain releases yet, get some. You will really like them whether going after the smaller Atlantics up in the water column or lakers down deep. Being able to set the hit release tension different than the rod tension is wonderful. Really nice to put a good bend in the rigger rod but still have a small fish trip the release. I run attractors behind my divers about 75% of the time -- flashers with flies or cut-bait or dodgers with a fly or squid. I prefer the flashers because they run effectively at a wider range of speeds. Spoons can also work well. The Slide Diver Lite-Bites use the same concept of separate release settings for the rod and the lure/fish as the Chamberlain rigger releases, plus they allow the lure to be set behind the diver at any distance you want. Dipsy and Walker divers pretty much restrict you to the length of the rod to be able to reel the fish close enough to net it. In shallow and/or clear water or when the fish are boat shy, this can be very helpful.

I have the Dutton-Lainson in the 9000 size for my catamaran hull on the dual bunk trailer. It works great for me. My trailer's bunks sits higher than most V hulls and even with "normal" water levels I have to winch the boat on at most ramps for the last 10' or so after powering it on at idle speeds. In the past with other boats I have had the Powerwinch brand model 712 and 912. They worked well too. I like the Dutton better though as it seems a little faster with more power and has a strap rather than a steel cable plus was lower cost.

I would hesitate to use 8# test line on a medium heavy rod. Most MH rods are also not going to be very sensitive for detecting hits if drifting bait. I would probably go with a float system to use the float as a strike indicator or purchase a $30 rod in a lighter action for the intended purpose.

I have bought bags from goodmans in the past and they work fine at a little over half price than the FoodSaver brand bags. Both rolls and precut bags are available. A few years back our Steelheaders chapter did a group buy on them and did even better since overall shipping was less.

I just measured a Bert's electronics mount that I had in the house. The base that slides in the track is 7/32" thick, it is 2 31/32" wide, and 4" long.... so just a shade thinner than 1/4" x 3" x 4". This gives it just enough space to slide in the track and then 1/4" thumb screws through the plate that when tightened put pressure against the bottom of the track to hold the insert in place. As for a cheaper track system, the Tite-Lok track is cheaper but not as strong as the Bert's, Traxstech, or Cannon tracks that are all the same dimensions but have different hole patterns for mounting and different finishes. The Tite-Lok dimensions are smaller so components from the other companies will not slide in them.

I think that it was only banned from shore too. Have fished it wading upstream from where Kalamazoo street crosses over the river and never any issues other than some odd looks. Some real nice gravel beds in there where Coho like to set up.

I have "known" Kyle for about 2 years now via the Internet. First over at GLA and then when I started frequenting GLF more I encouraged him to join Dave and me here. Kyle's GLF handle is Youngfish. In many ways he reminds me so much of myself although since I grew up a lot further from the big lake my fishing passion was first ignited by inland critters before the real bug hit with big lake salmon and steelhead. Summers were spent pestering my Dad to go to the big lake every week and since he was a teacher we did get to go a lot. In college my fishing nut roommate and I scheduled classes to allow us to head for the lake/river on Thursday afternoons to fish through Sunday mornings. Kyle is taking it where I wish I could have. I really wish him all the best in this adventure. Nothing better than to be able to actually get paid to do your hobby. Now I just need to get some time available to go meet this young man in person and have him teach me a few things. Maybe get him out on the CATtitude Adjustment for some offshore fun.

I used something similar a long time ago. The heaviest that Yeck makes in that style is 10#. If your down rigger can handle something heavier, I'd go that way. At the very least I go 2# heavier on my probe rigger than the others. This keeps the blow-back about the same as the others.

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90% sure that I'll be there. Hopefully with some others from my pool of regulars on the boat. Likely 4 total.

Jamey, you might want to check out this 24' Welcraft WAC w/ a 225 Mercury Optimax. Has a hardtop with a rocket launcher and for fishing early & late seasons up on Superior the hardtop with the clear vinyl sides might be real nice. Price is a little higher than your listed range, but I wouldn't be surprised if they wouldn't take an offer rather than hold on to it over the winter. http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/bod/3461900674.html

Outboard 22' Islanders are not very common. A friend has one and the extra room in the fishing area without the dog house makes it a much more usable area. His has a 150 hp on a bracket but I don't know if they all have that configuration or not. A walkaround on a 20-22' hull makes getting to the bow easier than a full beam cabin, but "walkaround" is not really an accurate description. Creeparound is probably better. Still beats having to go up through a hatch in the cabin though. Personally I much prefer an outboard over an I/O for many reasons. Not having the dog house really helps for being able to maneuver in the rear of the boat. More room for people on board and also helps when out solo when you don't have anyone else to move things for you. A bracket mounted OB is even better since it gives you a full transom with no splash well or cutouts across the stern. When fishing solo out of a cuddy cabin I am not convinced that the size of the boat is that big of an impediment. I have had a Bertram 20' I/O cuddy, a 22' Cruisers SeaDevil bracket OB WAC, and a 24' I/O Chaparral cuddy. Docking was about the same on each of them but was probably easiest on the SeaDevis due to the OB. By far my current boat (21' SeaCat center console w/ dual 90 OB) is much easier but mainly due to the twin outboards. In all of them, when docking solo it is more of a matter of being prepared with ropes positioned and getting the mid-ship line connected to the dock followed by the stern line. For fishing sole the most important thing to me is an autopilot... any autopilot! Nice whether you have flat water or a 3' chop. The AP will steer better than anyone you put on the wheel and makes fishing a whole lot more pleasant. They are not cheap but nothing in this type of fishing is. I first got my AP when I was able to get on the big lake an average of 3+ times per week. Now, with the limited amount of time I get to be on the water, I appreciate it as much or more since I get to enjoy the fishing more. That said, I would look for a boat equipped with hydraulic steering since that gives you more options for an AP and makes it easier to install if you go with it in the future.

I'd go for the 21' Pursuit. The 20' Grady Whites always seemed a little cramped all around to me -- especially in the cabin but didn't seem to translate into more fishing area. Islanders are nice serviceable boats but sit too high on the water for me. Having had both aluminum and glass on the Great Lakes, I would highly recommend the fiberglass hull. Yes the lighter hull can be towed easier and doesn't need as big of an engine, the ride quality in almost any chop over 1' will mean you are either slowing down or beating yourself and hull on the water. On the Islander you need to worry about leaking rivets. If the Grady and Wellcraft were ever slipped, make sure there hasn't been water intrusion - especially in the transom and stringers. What brand/model engines are on each boat? One might be significantly better than the others or one could be more difficult to get parts for... either way might affect your decision.

LInwood Beach Marina and Campground is great for this on walleye trips to Saginaw Bay.

I just don't get any real joy out of trolling for walleye so I drift and cast spoons, weapon rigs, and jigs. Lots more fun to feel the hit and fight the fish on 8# spinning outfits. The three trips I have made to Saginaw Bay it seemed like I was the only boat out there not trolling though. I am sure that trolling is more productive but since I go fishing to have fun and if it takes a little longer to catch the fish... well that just means more fun. I have not had much success before June with the casting on SB. This is about a month after it starts being a good technique on Erie. My usual strategy on either body of water is to search for marks on the graph and then set up a drift to go over them. The Detroit River fishery is usually productive much earlier in the season (shortly after ice out in late March into April) and is for the most part a vertical fishery with plugs or heavy jigs with good chances for big fish. April is also a great time for fishing on Erie's reefs for eater 'eyes casting and vertical jigging feather jigs, jigs with minnows, and blade baits. This is usually great for eater size fish and can be fast and furious action. After the fish move off the reefs and the big females are done spawning in mid to late April, lots of big walleye are caught trolling body baits in the 20-30' depths with the fish varying from 10' to the bottom depending on the water clarity and temps. The area north and west of Big Sister Island to the Mich/Ohio state line and the Toledo shipping channel is usually a productive area.

Yes works on serrated blades -- I use on my electric knife's blades. Here's a video from the Edgemaker site on doing serrated blades. https://secure.edgemaker.com/sections/tutorials/Video.aspx?flv=serrated