Rizzo

Hey Matt you are right about the distance. I found the board didn't track too far out to the side...but that didnt matter. Couldn't have had it out there 5 minutes when that line got nailed! Unfortunately, waves really picked up and once we were in 2 footers the board would dive, and once it dove it would slip. That happened a couple of times and then I gave up. Calmer water I'm excited to try it again, but in bigger waves forget it

...oh and thanks for the tips on the walters, but i don't eat fish. Plus, catch enough of them dang pesky things when I'm musky fishing...already got one my first time out there on a believer

I had heard that about braid. But maybe 80lb is thick enough it won't slip? This thing says it has a vice grip. The fact it can pull dipsies it must grab that line pretty good. Worst case scenario, it looks like instead of putting the line in the vice grip i can just wrap it a couple of times around it. Will make it a bit tougher to unhook with a musky yanking on the other end but whatever!

Well I went out and bought one this afternoon. It is a church tx 44 super planer. Says it can pull dipsies so I figured that would be good enough for what I plan to do. Maybe it will do everything except a double 10?

oh ya Brian. I see a LOT of bass out there when I'm casting. Even caught an aggressive smallie last time out, about a 3 pounder. Normally thats a nice fish to catch, but he couldn't match up to my 80lb line! Had him surfing across the top.

Hey Roy...I hope to get a few extra guys in the boat and planers will allow me to troll more lines effectively. I also think they will help on lake St Clair where there is a lot of floating weeds.

Thinking of picking up some planer boards for musky fishing, but I have never seen one up close (just other boats as they pass by) so please excuse if my questions seem clueless. Can any board be used or would some not be suitable (ie too lightweight). I imagine the ones that are directly on your line just stay on the line as you fight the fish, but the ones on the mast likely have a clip so your line detaches from the board when a fish hits? You bring in the fish, board stays out there? I have seen a few on kijiji with names like off-shore, riviera etc. Any suggestions?

thanks outlaw. I had been hearing about this barn, figured I would find it when I went trolling west from belle river. Because I am quite far away, I likely won't hit the water until close to 9 am, and won't be around for night, but that's the nice thing about muskies...you can get them even in the non prime times! Here's hoping a few are interested during business hours.

Thanks Mike. The first fish we got on trip one was absolutely in the middle of nowhere, so I figured it would be worth a troll over, fish it a bit, and then troll back. dumping grounds is where they used to dump whatever they dredged up when they made the shipping channel.

Heading out for my third venture to St. Clair. Both trips have been to Belle River...first trip memorable, 2nd trip not so much. I'd like to try some new water, and was thinking the dumping grounds. Is it realistic to troll from Belle River to the dumping grounds or would I be wasting my time? Is the dumping grounds area big enough that you could spend a whole day fishing it or is it more of a spend a half hour to an hour spot. Finally, if its worth a whole day all on its own is there a launch out that way or still best to launch at Belle River and then bomb over. Thanks for any input.

WOW that is fantastic guys! Very nice

some nice tail there at the end of the clip

Some great (and some scary!) photos there. That is some unbelievable fishing

Well, not much to say. Did land a 38 and one feisty bass. Met a guy at the launch who had an unbelievable day yesterday, and he got 2 today. Thats musky fishing...when they are on hope that you are on the water!

....looks like I'm flying solo. Even if I have half the day we did last time I'll take it! Hopefully will have something to report

Last minute decision to hit Lake St. Clair to fish for musky. If you want to go pm me your phone number and I'll give you a call tonight. I do quite a bit of casting, so even someone who wanted to do bass could come on board and do your wacky worms or senkos or whatever the heck you guys do. We would split costs from Kitchener. I've only fished St Clair once, so the day would involve some exploration of new waters, and I plan to fish a pretty good day. Leaving Kitchener around 5:30 am and not back until evening.

Thanks for the offer Pete, right now I haven't decided which way to go but I will do some reading about the 7000 as well!

That's a nice chunk of change, enjoy it with the Mrs!

wowsers! That thing is nuts

ya that is a dandy. I agree with the mid to high 40's as a guess, if I had to choose a specific number I'd go 48

Ya this one has the level wind. I do like what Lew was saying about the big reel for trolling. If this 400 replaces my Record that got lost as a casting or trolling reel(they seem comparable), then I could grab the 700 as well and use it strictly for trolling...the right tool for the right job you might say. I'm looking to add 1 more to the fold, maybe grab the 700 too...although the revo toro winch is an interesting option as well. So the last addition will be the 700 or the toro..then I'm done (so I told my wife)

Its a 4.7 gear ratio, would that help? Need to get me one of those clown-sized handles for it!

bought a calcutta 400 off kijiji last night. Not a 400B or D or TE just a plain old 400. It was never used still in the box guy told me maybe 6 years old? Hopefully it is comparable with the B, maybe it was the original before they started with all these other styles

haha ya that is not how mine ended up in the drink...did a post on it a week or so ago. Long story short my fishing partner hooked it with his rod and launched it into the lake. It sank before we could retrieve it

ya I have a hard time trolling for too long. Even my one time out to St Clair I did quite a bit of casting. Although if I do buy this reel it would force me to sit on my butt and troll a bit longer!