CapMike

Actually, I leave the lures - even crankbaits on my lines when stacked together and laying in a pile in the back of the boat. Two things which help. One is hook the lure to the front part of the reel,either on the level wind cross piece or to a cross piece just below the level wind mechanism. Second, grab the line between the tip and reel (not the part going through the line guides) then give the rod a two or three spins. This will lock the line against the rod and it won't be like a bow string. If I have 12 rods in the pile, maybe one or two will be goobered a bit.

The one in Indiana is an artificial reef just north of the Port of Indiana which is just east of Burn's Waterway and best accessed at the Portage Public Marina. When you get down to the lake (@3/4 mile) look east, you'll see the port sticking out from the beach. The reef is about 25 yards north of the north breakwall and rises about to about 15 feet of the surface in 40/45 feet of water. EZ PeeZee.

Didn't say they don't work - they do and quite well. I'd never put a pair on my boat (21-footer) just because of the amount of room they take up when not in use. I've never did a side by side comparison - left side Otter, starboard side, ski-type, but I'm not sure the difference in performance (if any) would be easily apparent. If you go back a few posts and see my comments about side drift on a windy day, I don't think any type or brand can overcome a boat drifting sideways as much as it's moving forward.

If I had my choice, I'd like mercury levels to be zero. However, for some reason, the fish in the Great Lakes are easy targets. Any time there's a slow news day, out trots a story about how horrible the Great Lakes trout and salmon are to eat. What about tuna fish - plenty of mercury there. Also in swordfish, also in commercially caught walleye and perch in Lake Erie. These stories have been around since the 70s. That's 50 years. One would think if there was a spike in cancer, cerebral palsy, birth defects or other diseases around the Great Lakes someone would have put two and two together and figured it out. One of the reasons mercury levels aren't lowering is because a good deal comes from natural or environmental sources. Doesn't make it good. Consider risk assessments. A meal of lake trout carries about the same risk as smoking a cigarette. About the same as walking around for a few hours in downtown Chicago. About the same as a chest X-Ray.

I've been on a couple of boats using Otter Boats. #1 they worked very well. I was impressed. This was at salmon speeds, say 2.5 or so. #2 - They are huge! It's like having a couple of lifeboats in the boat with you when they are on board. No biggy on a boat with a 10 or 12 foot beam, but you might as well bring a couple of extra coolers or a St. Bernard along with you. #3 - one of the boats had one that had been patched back together using fiberglass repair stuff because someone had stepped on in or dropped it and it broke. (Probably tripped over it sitting on the back deck.) If it's going to be bulky, it ought to be tough. #4 - Somewhat expensive at $120 each. #5 - Currently out of stock at everyplace I checked to see their price. - even Amazon.com

The only issue you will have at super low speeds is if you are experiencing a moderate to strong crosswind. I use 300 coppers and 100yd leadcore set-ups behind big boards. The only problem is getting a pinch pad release to hold against the strong pull. Solved that by putting a #16 rubber band on the line and pinching the rubber band in the pinch pad. The band grips tighter, but when it stretches when a fish pulls, it get's smaller in the grip and will either just break or release from the pinch pad. You'll probably have better luck running the tether from a Tee-Top than from a center mounted mast. Don't be too quick to switch. It probably won't be money well spent.

Trilene Big Game is great. I wish their solar color was color fast. It fades after just a few trips. Still strong, however.

It never hurts. It might help. Want to take the chance which day it is? Not me. Unless I'm running a dodger or flasher, it's fluoro to any spoon or plug.

Used to be Action flasher. Now I thing dreamweaver makes them. Look at them from the side (edge) and they are sort of Z shaped.

I've got some of the triangle flashers to try out this year. I've used some of the Brad's cutplugs in the past and found them to be a pain to use and mostly don't catch fish. Perhaps if I try them in combination. I also have some Mack Attack triangles to try this year where you put the scent material in the flasher. I'm guessing they will be better for lake trout than salmon. On the other hand, I catch literally hundreds and hundreds of salmon each year (mostly coho) on small dodgers and trolling flies so I'm certainly not going to abandon that program.

Both flat (like LJ) dodgers and Z or bent dodgers will work - the 6" size is perfect down to about 35" deep. After that switch to larger ones. (In April in St. Joe you won't need to fish that deep.) I use a lot of Silver Streak Mini Flodgers. You only have one, make it a hot red. Two? Both hot red. Five? Get one yellow with orange dots but expect the hot red ones to out produce the Y-with dots version about 90% of the time. Other colors? They'll work but your red and Y/Dot models will never fail.