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Hi to all OFC'rs My wife and I along with another couple returned from Lakair on Saturday 7/12 after 2 wonderful weeks. While our walleye totals were significantly less than last year we still managed 109 walleyes between my wife and I and close to 200 between the 4 of us. As is typical the women catch all the big fish. This year it was my wife's turn and she managed a 28", a 27", and a 25" eye. I caught two 24" eyes. Those were our only fish over the slot and they were all returned safely to the water, hopefully to spawn a couple more years. Most of the time we ran bottom bouncers on harnesses. This year we found the fish quite spread out and on both sides of Rt 64 bridge. We picked up a number around islands, humps, and edges of weed beds. I know others were fishing the weed beds with jigs, but we could not find the big fish in the weeds so we fished more rock structure and edges. Early on in our stay the fish were pretty shallow but by the end of our stay most of the fish we caught were 15-20 feet by late morning. We found the best boat speed to be between 1.2 and 1.5 mph, which was significantly faster than last year, and I believe the reason we weere able to catch quite a few more on bottom bouncers than my buddy and his wife was simply due to our soft tip rods. We were using old style Ugly Sticks which really have soft tips, and the fish would simply hang on until you set the hook. My buddy and his wife were using fast action medium wt. jigging rods. We were all using 10 lb line either Power Pro or Fireline. I thought both the Power Pro and Fireline performed pretty well around the rocks. Our hot harnesss this year was a single peg style ornage float between two chartuese beads and a Stamina clown blade. The fish really liked that clown blade better than anything else we tried and I tried about everything I had. So there you have it. I tried to attach a couple pics but seeing as how I'm somewhat of an idiot on computers who knows what you'll see if anything. Best of fishing to all.

Has anyone ever tried garlic pills? I've heard the blackflies leave you alone if you eat a lot of garlic. Of course so does one's wife so pick your poison.

Have you checked your homeowners insurance? It may cover. Really sorry for you loss. Hope the jerk(s) get caught.

Interstate group 27 for me.

It looks like $5-7.00/gal is very realistic in the near future. I'm very concerned that the worldwide economy could unravel pretty quickly. As was posted above- the writing has been on the wall for some time. Truthfully, I wouldn't worry about consolidating debt as a first step, but what I would do is cut back on expenses, take that money and pay yourself. Create your emergency fund before you pay extra to your debtors.

The benefit of the bigger screen for mapping is the only reason I can see to go beyond the 5" screen models. That said, that's a pretty big benefit. Been thinking of upgrading to the 38 myself. Just can't bring myself to pull the trigger.

Ranger guy. 25 may be possible on the top of line units, I have the LMS300 series graphs; I don't think I could pick fish up at that speed, maybe 20. You won't see an arch more like a red line or dot. Then slow down to get a better look. Probably need color and at min a 486 v pix graph. Set chart speed to max. Make sure transducer alignment is as good a possible.

Hi guys, I have to post here. Lots of sound logic from what I've read. here's my 2 cents. Today's values are whacko. In my days growing up you screwed up you learned pretty quickly to take responsibility. Dad took his view of things from 10,000 ft. He had to working two jobs most of his life. Mom worked to, but she was the one that made us tow the line. All 3 of us kids got jobs as soon as we were old enough to work. Today there are a number of families where the kids do whatever the heck they want and the parents never force them to take responsibility. It's always someone elses fault. Our politicians are quick to reinforce these foolish notions, they promise something for nothing in return for votes. They enact legistlation that takes money from our pockets and gives it to the "less fortunate"; many of whom just are too lazy to work and know they don't have to. It creates the perpetual welfare state. Across the street from me is a family of 8 renting what was once a nice home. It's a huge pigpen. As I walked to work today to save gas and get some exercise they piled into there big Ford Expedition and drove past me. i found them parked at the Salvation Army where they are getting a free breakfast. None of them work, they all smoke, their rent is subsidized, they get welfare, they have free medical, they have 3 dogs, they lace the street with profanities everytime they are outside. If it were up to me I'd ride them out of town on a rail. The truth is we all have compassion for those that need a helping hand, but our money is being wasted by those that just want something for nothing. The mortage crisis today would never have happened in our parents generation. A large majority of people are simply walking away from their responsibility not because they can't pay the mortgage but because they owe more than the value of the home. They won't take responsibility. Makes me ill.

Where do you live in PA. I'm from Warren in the north west corner.

Nice rig. I just went to the Legend website, and just as an FYI in case you didn't know, the 50 hp bigfoot is $700.00 more than the standard 50 hp 4 stroke. Did I read the specs correctly does this boat have a double hull construction?

This is the neat thing about knives. They are very personal, everybody has there own opinion and preference. Back in the 80's I worked for Case Cutlery for almost 10 years. What a fun job and great place to work until it changes hands. Now it's in the hands of Zippo, and run more like a family business. Anyhow, that experience forged my opinions on knives and knife blades. A good fillet blade should be flexible, of proper length for the job, fit one's hand, and have a razor point and edge. Blade hardness is very much of personal choice. I like a somehat softer blade (high 40's as I recall on the Rockwell C scale). I assure you this blade will get every bit as sharp as a super hard blade, it just requires some touch-up after each use. I also generally prefer chrome vanadium steel rather than stainless. It tarnishes, but usually is easier to sharpen to a razor's edge. I don't like any of the automatic blade sharpening devices, but the Lansky type devices are a great help for those that can't put an edge on a blade. They require no skill and are quite efficient. Today, I still prefer the old wooden handle Rapala fillet knives. Not that the others aren't good, just my preference even though the blade is stainless.

I started making my own harnesses about 10 years ago. The size, style, color, and presentation are dependent on the body of water and the mood of the fish. On Lake Erie I fish a completely different harness than on my home water an inland reservoir, and under normal conditions each of those is different than on a tanin colored lake. Typically I fish small Colorodo blades (3's and 4's) except when on Erie. In clearer bodies of water I start with natural colors, and with stained waters I get bright; sometimes downright gaudy with beads,floats and blades. Changing colors and speeds is critical until you figure out what the fish want. Last year on vacation we were on a very hot bite. One morning we fished for a couple hours with only a couple fish. I had to run back to camp and was gone for about 45 minutes. My buddy in another boat switched over to all red tiger blades and landed 7 fish before we got back. We ran red the rest of the day and hammered them. In shallow water I often just use in-line weight. I typically use mono up to 15 ft then switch to a small diameter braid that allows me to keep the BB as small as possible for the given type of bottom terrain. I like a very soft tip rod most of the time.

I'm a Shimano guy. I have tried numerous other brands over the years until I finally said enough is enough and Shimano became my standard. I typically purchase the Symetre's, but I have a Stradic and a couple Saharas as well. This year I'm trying the new 300 series Curado as my large baitcaster. Back in the 70's I used Daiwa almost exclusively and have no doubt they are an excelent reel- they certainly were then.

Not many in my generation, I'm 55, would consider taking such a trip at your age. We were taught to bust your hump and hopefully retire early, then enjoy the rest of your life. I'm not sure that is the right path for everyone. The obvious assumption in that strategy is you'll live to be 50 and still have good health. It doesn't always work that way, and I'm not so sure we were intended to work like we do. Hey, you don't have your own family, I'd say go for it. Just post pictures for us to drool over.

Early season shallow water- 6 lb Sensation Switch to a super line to get benefit of small diameter (which equates to smaller jig) and better feel as fish move deep later in the year. that's my liking anyhow.

They are all good. I like Mercs and Honda myself. Personally, the most iportant thing for me is relaibility and serviceability. Why the outboard companies are so in love with speed is beyond me. As for the picture, I know exactly where it was taken- I've fished the spot many many times- it's just a quick trip up between the islands from lakair eh?

Hi Ron, Doubleheader here from Warren PA. Just wanted to express my sincere sympathy. This terrible disease took my mother-in law 5 years back. She was a wonderful, wonderful person. My girls do the ALS walk each year so my contribution will be to support their walk but I wish you and for that matter all the folks those touched by the illness of these two men all strength and courage in the world. Take care and know that others care for you.

I bought my current boat, a Crestliner Fish Hawk 1850, in 2006. At the time a buddy of mine was looking for a new boat and I sold him my 18' 1998 Lund Alaskan with 50 hp Honda, bow mount and electronics for $10K. I paid about $16K for the boat new after adjusting for the add-ons which were of new vintage. So, you can do the math, it cost me about $750.00/ year to own that boat. Now this year my friend decided he wanted a new boat and resold the Alaskan for $9,250.00. It cost him about $400/year for the two years he had it. And the thing is as functional and looks nearly as good as the day it was bought. It will last another 30 years if this 3rd buyer takes care of it. What's my point? Two things really. You might want to consider shopping for a used boat. You will get more bang for your buck but patience is the key to shopping for a used boat. Second, if you buy a Lund, Princecraft, or other premium line boat you will get more at re-sale, and I think you might be surprised that the difference in initial purchase price between one of those and a Tracker is not as big as you thought; especially when you look at the total package cost. Remember, the boat is only one component. You also have the motor, accessories, and trailer. The biggest concern I'd have with the Tracker is weld cracks and subsequent customer service of which I've read a number of horror stories. I have no direct experience with them, although I have a friend that has had one for years without issues. I've been satisfied with my Crestliner, it is very fishable with lots of storage, but the ride sucks compared to the Alaskan and it isn''t a high-end quality boat. I think the best bang for the buck right now is Alumacraft. Just my opinion after visiting a number of shows this year. Good luck

It seems to work better on some waters than others. It also seems to work better in rivers and weedbeds than open water lakes. Maybe the fish are tuned to reacting more quickly i don't know.

Again, not argueing free trade is a bad thing, but like anything else the devil is in the details and our politicians (both parties I might add) led us down the primrose path with the guidance of special interest groups without a complete understanding as to the revolutionary impact this would have on the average wage earner nor a plan as to how to migrate into a global economy. That's my beef, it was like "Here's a switch let's flip it and see what happens" Bottom line the standard of living in the US is plummeting. Certain industries are disappearing altogether, and other are bankrupt and don't even know it yet. Like Ford for instance. We could have done things differently. We could have provided tax credits for industries to invest in their North American plants instead of loopholes to send their jobs overseas.

It's a brave new world, so our leaders in the US have told us. It puts most buyers in quite a dilemma, yet this is nothing new as much of our industry has shifted south of Texas or into Asia over the last 10-15 years. As a result many Americans have had to find new, and mostly lower paying jobs. When Americans choose to buy only U.S. made products they are really pinched at both ends as their wages are lower and they are paying higher prices (usually) for the few remaining U.S. made products. As a result most of us buy imports. From our clothing to our shoes to our autos, and even a lot of the lumber we buy. Where does it end? I have no idea. While I'm a free market person at heart, it's extra tough when competing countries are subsidizing industries and fixing currencies. I just think our American naive politicians had a number of ulterior motives when they rushed into the free trade agreements. To name a few: a desire to keep inflation under wraps (which it did initially), a desire to break unions, and a strong desire to make China and other emerging industrial nations our ally. They may have made them our masters in the process. We have exported so much technology it's frightening. Anyhow, sorry for the editorial. Would I buy a Chinese Merc? The answer is I don't know. Everything I'm wearing except my shoes are made overseas so that ought to tell you something.

I had made my own until last year when we tried Uncle Buck's. That stuff is really good.

With my Dish Network I record at least 20 fishing shows. Hands down the best of the best is Larry Dahlberg's The Hunt For Big Fish. http://www.huntforbigfish.com/upcoming.html He''s the real deal. He can handle a fly rod as easily as a big caster. He goes to places no one else even considers. He's obsessed yet has a nice way about him on camera. He's not an informercial, in fact he shares how he makes many of his own swin baits.

Overhyped baits Berkley Bladerunner Gulp Anything else In Fishermen tries to sell

I lived in Budapest for two years in the mid 1990's. The Danube runs thru the city and at that time the city was depositing 1 million gallons of raw sewage daily into the river. 10k above the city was a little tourist town, Szentendre, we used to bike to regularly. There the river had a clean appearance although I'm sure the bacteria count was quite high there also the river was teaming with baitfish and fairly clear water. I didn't fish much when I lived there but I can attest to the fact that the Zander were very tasty. The Danube has the potential to be an amazing fishery.