Dave,
I’m heading up for 7 days out of the west end. We fished the same week last year and got 3 with some really roller coaster weather. Still scored my PB 51” so I’m hoping for some stabile weather this year.
We will throw the kitchen sink at these girls but I’ve got several first timers with me so I’m really hoping for some top water action. That will create some Musky addictions for sure. Good Luck!
Jeff
Panoptix is amazing technology. I’ve run it for two years on my boat now and in some ways would be lost without it.
The ice applications I feel will revolutionize the ice fishing business.
As far as lawsuits. It’s business. Many companies protect there business by suing anybody that appears to have something close to there technology. In some cases it’s purely stagegy if they win…great, if it creates market doubt against their competitors …great, if it delays competitors….even better. These companies are so large they tie up multiple millions of dollars just to play though their strategy. Based on what I read in the previous post. They accomplished some of those points.
My take. I just want to use what works for me. I’ll let the companies fight out there stuff and work out their market strategy on there own. There big boys!
Competition by the way, makes sure all our brands improve and we all benefit with increasingly better technology.
Pretty safe to say it’s out! I’m looking at the first whitecaps of the year on the north end. I think the rain tore up what was left, hovering in the middle of the lake, last night.
more pics
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Awesome Deer! At 78 it sounds like this young man put in the time to have something big happen! Congrats!!!!
Gary was a great guy! Great outdoorsman and if you ever had the opportunity to talk with him he was an all around nice guy!
He will be missed….like a lot of you said my favorite writer in the outdoor publication universe.
RIP Gary and Thanks for all I learned from your articles over the years!
Greg nice bass. Nice talking you and your your wife on Sunday at the dock.
PS… Thanks for being my backup on my first Ulterra launch! I’m glad it worked!
Jeff
second shot
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First Shot,
Second shot is of fish darting around and very active. Video would show this better
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In the first shot the sinker is sitting right on top of a couple fish… they were reacting to it’s every move.
The second shots shows active fish. I should have video of this – the fish are darting around and your odd’s of getting a bite are pretty good.
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Congrats Koonce,
You won’t regret it! I took a quantum leap from some older units to a 7612 on the console and an 840 on the bow. There is absolutely no comparison.
My only complaint is that when I go to the bow, I’m trying to use a button unit as a touch screen. I’m not to bright to it takes a few touches on the glass to figure it out each time! LOL
Enjoy!
Nice video James. It was one of the reasons I put Panoptix on my new boat. I’ve still got a lot to learn but it’s pretty intuitive. Every time out, I’m figuring it out a little more.
Nice! Congrats on the new ride!
Danny,
Nice screen shots. I keep playing with the new units and have been impressed the image quality with each of the transducers. The target separation even when you have fish hugging the bottom is amazing. We were actually calling bites pulling spinners on the Flats on Mille Lacs on Saturday. I’m still working to fine tune the use of Panoptix but I know the more I use it the better it will get. In about 4 hours in the afternoon we caught 30 fish running from 12″ – 25.5′. The average fish was 17-18″ so it was great afternoon of fishing.
PS. I like the way you have your screen configured, I’ll have to set that up. I like that you can actually see which side of the boat the active fish (off the bottom) is on.
I managed to get out Saturday to the flats during the day. Did some of the close-in flats on the north end and pulled spinners 8’+ snell. We looked over a couple flats and were not marking fish so we moved on. When we found fish up off the bottom we went after them and you could almost call the bite. The fish were on top of the flats when the wind was up and they would drop off when it died and the sun was beating down. I’ve found that to be pretty typical. I used the bow mount to move me around at about a 1.2+- mph. Experiment with speed. Even drifting some days a sock is best and others without. I mostly use a bow mount now to capitalize on the control as I prefer to work the edges up and down to keep track of where the fish are concentrating.
Like “walleye student” said it’s tough to beat the bobber fish right now at night. Any of the gravel/ rocky reef’s I’ve fished have had fish we caught a bonus 21.5″ small mouth the other night my best so far this year. With kids that last hour and half is fast action. It can be like fishing pan fish this time of year! Good Luck!
Fished reefs 12-22 FOW on Monday during the day. 62-63 degrees and decided to pull spinners. Caught 14 or so and size was everything from 12″- 23+. The best fish during the day came from a little deeper. I’ve caught fish over the last few weeks doing everything I’ve tried. It’s really been a fun bite!
Nice Job Will. I only hit the water on Saturday afternoon for about 3 hours, due to a thrown out back from last week, and we spent the time experimenting with Rippen Raps. I had zero impact on the walleye mortality issue this weekend, but I did pick up a couple Smallies one over 20″. No walleyes yet in my new boat but I’m on the mend and should be able to get back after them later this week.
I have to say, I’ve watch James and the guys fish these plugs and it is sure a fun way to catch fish. Here’s a pic.
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Will,
My first opener living on the ML. I’ll be out on the north end. I have to break in the new boat with a few walleyes. It’s been a long winter!
Lookin’ good, Jeff. I know your previous rig served you well for many years. I hope your new ride is all that and more!
Did you get a chance to fish our fave spot on the river this spring? It just doesn’t fish quite the same since the renovation.
Thanks James it’s an amazing boat. I’m finding it hard to believe I waited this long to buy it. I absolutely love it.
I didn’t get down to the river this year. With the boat being set up, now living up on Mille Lacs, business and all, I just didn’t make it this year. I agree the renovation changed some things… I did fish it last year a bit and that was my take too.
I may change things up now… living up here, I’m about the same distance to the Rainy so next Spring that may be the way I go!
I really like your color choice. Very sharp!
Thanks Wayne we really like it to.
The set color patterns with the new packages, at first upset my wife, because she was going to pick out the colors… but in the end it was a whole lot easier to just pick the package color… we are both very happy. Never having a glass boat we are amazed at how it changes in different lighting.
It’s kind of you to sacrifice a weekend to fish with Dean… sign of a true friend! 
I’m guessing the consolation prize is cookies!
I’d like to say thanks to Dean and all the guys at SBC in both stores for working to set up my new MX2040.
Like Dean said, I’m excited to get the new boat on the water. The weather looks great for the upcoming weekend so I’ll begin playing with the Garmin’s, while I’m breaking in the engine. Should be a fun summer…. lot’s to learn.
As I start seeing some of the things the units and the transducers can do, I’ll post some video and/or screen shots showing what I’m figuring out.
Just a side note: The units are wired together via ethernet connection. That allows me to use the whole host of transducers and mapping in both units.
Ok…. I got it. I was April fooled about 3 days late…. In my defense I’ve been fighting a nasty late season cold!!!! My brain is working at about 50% right now.
I moved onto the lake last summer and honestly nothing seems out of the realm sometimes.
Ok…. I got it. I was April fooled about 3 days late…. In my defense I’ve been fighting a nasty late season cold!!!! My brain is working at about 50% right now. I moved onto the lake last summer and honestly nothing seems out of the realm sometimes.
Dave congrats again. My wife and I did a demo ride in that very boat last summer on Mille Lacs. It was the catalyst for us ordering a new MX2040 in early December… should be in pretty soon. Can’t wait.
It’s a beautiful boat and I can testify it flies! Enjoy!
Jeff
Congrats on the new boat! I agree 100% on SBC and how they treat customers. Great group of folks that really understand customer service!
Joshua,
Like many are saying spend your money on the reel. I just jumped in a year and a half ago and it’s addicting…. so be careful.
Start with 8-9 foot heavy action rod (the length really helps on figure 8’s). Budget $100 +- for your first rod. I have some Bull Dawg rods and am happy with them. I agree with the 400 size reel. I went with a (lets call it a lesser quality reel) and I replaced it after 3 weeks… all of a sudden the little more expensive reel would have made more sense.
I’ve have 2 Abu’s both have performed well for all purpose. I have a Lexa 300 (ok but a bit small) and a Lexa 400 Power currently its my favorite. I’m finding things each reel does better.
If you plan on burning big bucktails these reels will do it for a while. You’ll be exhausted and sore and the reel will take a beating. Stay with the double 8’s or smaller single blade buck tails and your golden.
I learned this the hard way and am saving up for a Shimano Tranx. But there are several other reels (light saltwater basically) that will perform the task.
Good luck and have fun… I love to bow hunt and this is the closest thing on the water I’ve ever found. The adrenaline rush when you get hit or have a follow is awesome!
We do have to remember all these shows have sponsors. They want to see their products high-lighted…. and these shows provide that service.
Quite frankly, I’m really glad they do, because many times they show me something i wouldn’t have figured out or thought of.
That being said, I think for a long time on these shows we were seeing super lines highlighted a lot. I think it’s nice to see the balance because in some applications…. no question; mono will out fish super line and vice versa!
I’ve noticed the trend also…. but I really never stopped using mono because it fit certain things I always did. I base my line choices on the application: basing it on diameter, color and water clarity.
If I’m pitching jigs on the river I’m using hi vis mono… blades power pro.
Trolling – super line.
Clear water, like on Mille Lacs where I live now, I’m using mono most of the time now for finesse – Lindy/jig. Pulling spinners I’m braid with fluorocarbon snells.
Slip bobber I’m still using super line but tying on about a 3 ft section of fluorocarbon on the business end. Then I’m not messing with the kinking on the mono moving the stop.
Most reels anymore come with 2 spools so I’m spooling 1 with mono & 1 with a braid. That way if I feel I need to change it only takes a couple minutes.
Thanks Calvin… I won’t be shy, I still have a few decisions to make. You’ll be sick of me by the time it’s all over!
