SlowPoke

Wow, that is amazing detail if you can see yourself fishing with it! I've got an LSS 2 waiting patiently for me to install it and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

It sucks that its not working but that's a pretty old unit. 8-9 yrs probably. Not to be glib but how long do you expect a company to stand by it's product?

X2

Those Jozuki's are great... I'm still looking for a 15 longshaft electric. Nice boat Rob. You might need a Q7 to pull it though

And there it is, the first sign of spring! Will you be WGSF guiding again this year?

Am I missing something here? Why didn't you just flip the spool so it comes off in the right direction?

Box spring on top!!! Bag them if possible... mattress shops will usually give you a couple bags. Lay the mattress on the roof, box on top. Tape or rope the two together, then strap or rope them to the rack. Side to side AND front to back. Take your time driving and check your load OFTEN

Leadcore is responsible for more than just depth; it has its own unique action. The line will have bows and sags between your rod tip and lure reacting to currents etc. I have switched from using full 10 colour rigs to segmented rigs (5 colours...mono...3 colours....mono...2 colours) This allows me to use another method to find the desired depth without so much line out. Two ways to accomplish this; 5 colours out and mono section in the downrigger release or 5 colours out and a removable Torpedo Diver clipped to the mono section. The Torpedo method would be very useful for you with the leadcore or run it on other rods if you 're not looking for that leadcore wave action. The mono segments are also great if you plan to use leadcore off the planer boards since releases tend to damage leadcore lines. If I had to spool my core rods again, I'd just buy one 10 colour spool and do two rods (5&5). Anything over 5 colours is just dead weight and lots of reeling when you can get depth from a rigger or Torpedo Diver.

Ummm, lets be honest here. I get your point but I don't see too many $700 wrench sets at CT. They are not even as bad as Craftsman in pricing and better tools than the Craftsman Canada offerings (and now the Craftsman USA China tools found in US stores). When purchased on sale and if you keep on eye on the country of origin, they're one of the best socket/wrench/screwdriver values on the market.

I have 2 of the spoon boxes and they are hard to find. The crankbait boxes will work for most spoons including NK mags but you may have trouble with Big Erns

Wow, what a great show!!! It seems like twice as many vendors as the last two shows and the turnout seemed higher too. Ran into many OFNers; some I hadn't seen in a while and some I was able to meet for the first time. The Handlebarz booth looked great and always had people buying and browsing. John Cowan's fish looked terrific but that shouldn't be a surprise as it was an Advanced Taxidermy mount. The detail was incredible not only on the outside but as far as you could see down the mouth. I'm sure if you looked close enough you could see what it ate right before hitting that Handlebarz lure! Nice prize table. I know this not because I won but because I checked tickets for somebody else that won three times... Grrrr! If you can't be out fishing, this is a great way to spend an April day.

Dont spend a dime until its in your driveway. Alumacraft has a new track/rail system similar to Lund but I dont know if the '12 models had it. Rear seats (flip or pedestal) and travel/storage covers may dictate mounting options.

With all due respect Rich, digging up a picture to prove you caught something hasn't always worked out well for you. Keep stirring the pot and it might backfire on you. Expessing an interest in one species of fish doesn't make you an elitest any more than it makes an expert on the subject. Some people are just more passionate about it than others. I love muskie fishing as much as I love salmon and rainbow fishing. Carp, walleye, bass, pike are fun too but don't offer the same thrill for me. I make time every year for other species but the bulk of my time is spent on LSC and Lake O.

Alumacraft now eh? That boat sounds familer! Food for thought.... The Aluma is a new/old stock unit and the $500 difference may be negotiable especially if they're getting away from the brand. You're unlike to incur warranty issues on a boat of that quality and Bay City can still be your shop for motor service and repair. Pay close attention to items included in the deal(s) especially where number of seats, tops/covers are concerned. Post sale or custom work can cost a fortune. My Starcraft came with a bimini, side windows, full clear camper back, clear rear drop curtain and zip in clear windshield extension. The zip in windshield extension is awesome. It converts the bimini into a full top. Most boats come with a full top and you need a seperate bimini. The Smokercraft might have this as well. As mentioned previously, layout should make your mind up. Is the 3 seat configuration in the Smoker okay or do you prefer the 4 seater Aluma? Does one have a better dash layout to accommodate a suitable sonar/gps combo? My boat has a huge glove box and I never gave it much thought when buying but its great for lots of dry storage for clothing, gear, lunches etc. Are either boats pre-wired for bow mount trolling motor and batteries? You can run up a big bill to properly equip afterwards. Rod holder mounting options? Motor rebates or warranty promotions? Spare tire, swing tongue, LED lights, transom tie-downs, trailer brakes included on either? There's a bunch of things for you to consider to sway you one way or another.

LOL!! Don't wait for the windy days, you're welcome anytime!!!

It's not a rip off but it's not something I have any interest in. You'll get your monies worth but it's like asking your sister's best friends niece to go shopping for you.

Blah blah blah.... LOL

Johnson is no more. Evinrude E-TEC 2-stroke and Evinrude Portable 4-strokes (3.5-15 hp made by Tohatsu)

Roger was asking about four stroke Merc and Suzuki. I wasn't about to cloud the issue with the pro's and con's of an etec when that's not available to him.

C.A.S Marine is in Ayr, about 10-15 minutes from Cambridge towards London. Starcraft, Merc, Suzuki dealer. I dealt with them last year with some boat warranty and no issues other than the service manager(?) being a little forgetful. Suzuki is not a bad motor but parts and dealers were hard to find and that ticked off a lot of people. A lot has changed in the past 7-10 years, parts and service shouldn't be much of a problem now. The 4 strokes have always been good, 2 strokes were hard on gas, all were reliable and good performers. Older Merc 4 strokes were Yamaha built but now I think they're manufactured by Tohatsu. I think my first choice would be Yamaha, then Suzuki with Merc & Honda running neck and neck for third choice.

Why would Cabela's Canada be charging duty and brokerage?

Steeles, a few yards east of 400 on the south side

LOL!!! That's awesome!

I won't disagree with your observations, Brian but I go to these shows for entertainment; to spend a few hours on a winter day thinking about my pastime. It's not the same as going fishing but pretty damn close. It's always nice to run into old friends and make new ones. Sure, I keep an eye out for deals but they're few and far between. There was a time when you could go to the show and score a deal but that was before online sales forced Canadian retailers to shave their pricing to the slimmest of margins. There just isn't enough room for deep discounts and the cost of a booth would make your head spin. I think the show participants are excited to break even and hope to earn repeat business and gain exposure.

You will always benefit from a kicker motor... - auxiliary power source. - more precise low speed control. - reduces wear/maintenance on your main motor. Your main motor being a four stroke should have no issue with extended periods of idling/trolling but may suffer a little in the speed control department.