Fishing Lingo

[Boltman]

Ok Guys while it's slow this time of year, it's time to explain and show the Village Idiot what is meant when you're talking, " Yeah we fished in the 14's and the Mid 17's then went into the 54's and fished until we hit the mid 60's"

I do have a Raymarine Chart Plotter and I'm thinking I do have a Clue of what your talking about, but if someone can upload an image of a Chart plotter, and point me in the right direction... then I'll be sure I was looking at the right numbers........Once again thatnks for Helping the Village Idiot!!!!!!!! I'll leave a light on for yeah!!!!!!!!!!!

[jay d]

out of manistee where i fish when you hear the 14s or the 17, they are talking about your north south location.where you are north or south of port. when they are talkin the 28 line or the 32 line they are talking about east west numbers.,or how far off shore you are.the numbers will vary port to port.hope this helps.

[Adam Bomb]

In short, its the center number. If they say theyre in the 14's and 54's the N center number will be 14 and the W center number will be 54. Every number you go up or down that equates to around a mile. The last three numbers are what pinpoints you along that line.

If your at

43 14 500

83 54 500

your half way to the next number in each set. Thats why people will ask what the first digit of the last set is allot of times. It allows them to determine where about north and west they are on each line. Cause after all, you could be nearly a mile off.

[mattmishler]

i have found that people from other ports use land marks rather that number like we have buddies that fish pentwater and hardley ever use numbers and what i found that ludington, manistee anglers us numbers strickly i guess its just the port u fish.

[Adam Bomb]

I should also add that the center numbers will increase to 59 and then theyll change back to 00. This is true for both the N and W set of numbers.

So if you were at

43 59 999

83 59 999

the next set of numbers north and west would be

N 44 00 000

W 84 00 000

[Priority1]

Old Mainistee lingo.

Were in 100 FOW right off the onion.

Were in 100 FOW just South of the two sisters.

Ya gotta love the technology we have today, but the old names and ways still rings bells.

[Boltman]

Adam thanks for the information, I know Matt uses the numbers I've seen his posts. I was using the first det of numbers.... ah I'd never have gotten anywhere...

[1mainiac]

remember the numbers are deg of angle for the first set min of angle for the middle set and sec of angle for the last set. Unless you are close to the Equator all the boxes made by the coordinates are not square as such the differance between numbers varies the further north or south of the Equator you get and the peices become more triangular. The north south is not as effected as the east west.

[Adam Bomb]

Yuppers, your are correct sir. Seems to me around this section of the state the east/west is closer to about 3/4 of a mile if i remember correctly. But for the sake of the conversation i just generalized with the mile figure.

[GLF]

Nice explanation Adam.

[1mainiac]

Glad all the hours spent learning how to plot a course and read charts in the Coast Guard have not gone to waste. Not likely I will ever use the manual LORAN classes again LOL.