2 questions?

1) How accurate is your Mille Lacs chip. I have the new chip and it is off some on the contours. It seemed more on last year on the north end. Gov scrambling the signals again some?

2) how close would you troll to someone in the dark. Had a yahoo pull in right next to us on Saturday. Under 10 yards, actually about 6 yards away. Lit him up with my headlamp and asked him if there was enough room on the reef for both of us seeings how I had been there trolling it since before dark. He finally just turned the other way at the end of his pass and I left.

The Navionics chip is very accurate. Especially for shoreline and mud flat structure. I have not found any serious errors except for the fact they did not include some of the man made breakwalls. Like the one in front of the Flagship for instance. The Government has denied any GPS offsetting. (Hot topic on some sites since 9/11) The WAAS corrections should be giving you accurate and consistent results.

As for getting too close. It happens! Especially on popular spots and weekends. I don’t let it bother me any more. More often than not, it is not intentional. If it’s at trolling speeds it’s not dangerous either. What pisses me off is these nut cases flying at full speed across points and reefs with guys who are trolling. Can’t tell you the number of times I have felt threatened for my life as boats will come flying across Big Point on the way out or in from spots like 3-mile. Cutting in way too close or right through the trollers.

J.

I was trolling spider reef and the structure to the west was not very acurate when I was trolling. I was trying to stay up on top. So was easier after a couple of passes, but was not where my GPS showed it.

I wonder if the recent rains we have gotten has changed the depths enough to make it seem like the chip is off.

I have found it to be very accurate but on shallow reefs it helps if you are zoomed all the way in.

I have three icons on the Lakemaster chip that says I should be in 9+ FOW, and I was in 3. Most of the issues I have seen worth noting are from Hunter’s north to Malmo.

Also, Trolling, if someone is trolling (With the proper navigation lights turned on! ) I give them about 20 yards under normal conditions. If I (We) are both following the same contour line, I usually try to stick as close as I can, and explain it to them as I go by, and also say “Hi”. If they get pissy, I will give them a wider berth the next time by.
What I will do often is explain to people that are anchored using their Nav. lights the proper way to do it. Some take offense, others just apologize and change it. When you are trying to troll at night, and someone has their navigation lights on, it can throw you off, or cause you to come close to them as it looks like they are moving, or you consider them moving. The long and short of it, if you are stationary and anchored, you must only have the Stern (White) light on. When moving, you must have the red/green (Front) light on.
Tuck

Great Point Tuck, that most of us forget to switch when anchored !

I didn’t even know you were suppose to!!!

Is this a requirment to only have your Stern(white) light on or is it that at a minimal you need to have at least the stern(white) light on when anchored?????

If you look at your light switch, it should say “Anc” and “Nav”. Any time you are on navigable water, and are at anchor, your Stern light must be on. If you are off anchor drifting or are under power, your navigation lights must be on.
Tuck

On Mille Lacs I often leave my nav lights on,Not to tick people off but for safety.I find a lot of people just dont pay enough attention or they are just going to dam fast!

But that creates it’s own set of problems. Are you back trolling, are your forward trolling, are you drifting? Are you anchored, but you have both sets of lights on? If I am trolling through a number of boats, and trying to stay on my tacked course, I really try to see who’s lights are going in which direction, and gague my speed and course accordingly. Case in point, Malmo Bay a couple of weeks ago, many people had both sets of lights on, and we could see anchor ropes out, and guys trolling around them. People were bitching and complaining about everyone! We hugged the shore, and just plain got out of there! There is one set of rules. People should know them and abide by them! Castaway, you are right! I think people do go too fast at night! I had two boats scream around us trying to beat each other to Agate Bay Resort, leaving us tossed and pissed! The one boat went over our lines! Depth and distance perception are taxed at night, and things often times are not what they appear.

Just wondering where this rule about lights, relating to being anchored or under power, is outlined. Is it stated in the fishing regulations or the boating regulations? Thanks.

Vickie

In the Minnesota 2005 boating guide it states when at anchor only the 360 degree white light is necessary.It does get confusing when there are a lot of boats in one area some anchored with nav lights on and some trolling but it doesnt state that you cant have nav lights on when anchored.The key word being necessary.

Yup that being anchored with both lights on sucks

Someone was out in a pontoon last night and I thought for a while it was someone backtrolling then I thought maybe it was 2 boats then I got closer and it was and anchored tunner. It mad me got up into 2′ and pump my prop and loose a #18 floater

by the way my book doesn’t show #18’s I was pulling them 50-60′ back and figure I was running about 5-6′ deep any help with that?

Quote:

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it doesnt state that you cant have nav lights on when anchored.The key word being necessary.

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Coast Guard laws supercede the states “Recommedations” though. I am not trying to be pricky about this. This is just a hot button for me. At night, things can get pretty heated out there on the water, and it can be downright dangerous. Plus, I don’t want to screw up someone elses “Line” if I don’t have to. Unless it is James or Dustin.