Slammin Salmon

[tigerpincer]

Been trying to get a neighbor turned buddy on my boat for a couple years to show him the ropes of Kokanee fishing.  Our schedules finally aligned yesterday so we headed to Strawberry.  My step son also joined us.  We launched out of mud creek. The end of the ramp is exposed  by 3ft or so if I recall correctly.   About a 1ft drop off at the end of the ramp.  If launching from the ramp I'd suggest having 4WD and keeping your front tires on the ramp.  With that I had to push the boat off the trailer but was able to get back on just fine.  Might not be able to continue launching there if the water levels drop much more.  I did see a guy veer off the side of the ramp towards the bottom of it and avoid the ramp drop off.  Seemed to work well for him.

Fishing g started a little slower than usual for us but we ended having a great day.  Caught lots of Cutty's and plenty of Kokes just took a minute to find em.  We caught 3 very nice ones. One of which was a real dandy of a slob at nearly 4lbs.  Homemade lures and hoochie spinner combinations in the pink, pink n chartreuse and pink n orange caught all our fish.  We trolled at 1.5mph and all fish were caught between 38-32 ft.  Topped off the day smoking a few fillets seasoned with cilantro lime seasoning, a little dill and spray butter.

[Downriggerer]

Looks like a pretty good day.  We were on the SC side, no trouble launching and it was pretty much a carbon copy of Wednesday's fishing.  3 limits, done early, and headed home.

There were a lot more large fish showing up later in the morning yesterday though.

[r2u2]

Have been admiring your catch then went back to look again noticing your down rigger. How do you have it mounted in that small boat? Do you have two? I have been thinking of getting a couple for my boat.
rj

[tigerpincer]

Have been admiring your catch then went back to look again noticing your down rigger. How do you have it mounted in that small boat? Do you have two? I have been thinking of getting a couple for my boat.
rj

I actually run 4 down riggers on my boat. Two of which are mounted on Tite-lock clamp on mounts.   The other two are mounted on pedestal mounts that are bolted to carpeted buildouts on the boat.  On one side the buildout is a built in cooler and the other side it's a horizontal net rack that has an 8" deck along the top.  This deck is where the pedastal mount is attached.  The two on pedestals have extendable booms and all four are on swivel mounts.  This allows me to swivel the short booms in closer to the boat.  I then extend the booms out on the other 2 and am able to separate the lines.  If I have 3 people on the boat we run at least 5 poles by running a leaded longline out the back.  I can and have ran a stacker on one of the down riggers to allow for 6 poles but it's often more hassle than it's worth to deal with stackers unless everyone on the boat is experienced and somewhat skilled in running that system.

We tripled up 3 times yesterday and had multiple double hook ups.  Gets a little hectic but makes it fun and interesting. 

[wiperhunter2]

Great report and pics, looks like a great day on the water. Nice kokes too, how long was the biggest one?

[tigerpincer]

Great report and pics, looks like a great day on the water. Nice kokes too, how long was the biggest one?

The biggest one was 20 1/2"  & 3lbs 10oz.  Real fat butterball he was.

[r2u2]

Have been admiring your catch then went back to look again noticing your down rigger. How do you have it mounted in that small boat? Do you have two? I have been thinking of getting a couple for my boat.
rj

I actually run 4 down riggers on my boat. Two of which are mounted on Tite-lock clamp on mounts.   The other two are mounted on pedestal mounts that are bolted to carpeted buildouts on the boat.  On one side the buildout is a built in cooler and the other side it's a horizontal net rack that has an 8" deck along the top.  This deck is where the pedastal mount is attached.  The two on pedestals have extendable booms and all four are on swivel mounts.  This allows me to swivel the short booms in closer to the boat.  I then extend the booms out on the other 2 and am able to separate the lines.  If I have 3 people on the boat we run at least 5 poles by running a leaded longline out the back.  I can and have ran a stacker on one of the down riggers to allow for 6 poles but it's often more hassle than it's worth to deal with stackers unless everyone on the boat is experienced and somewhat skilled in running that system.

We tripled up 3 times yesterday and had multiple double hook ups.  Gets a little hectic but makes it fun and interesting. 

Thanks for the reply, that helps.

[wiperhunter2]

I actually run 4 down riggers on my boat. Two of which are mounted on Tite-lock clamp on mounts.   The other two are mounted on pedestal mounts that are bolted to carpeted buildouts on the boat.  On one side the buildout is a built in cooler and the other side it's a horizontal net rack that has an 8" deck along the top.  This deck is where the pedastal mount is attached.  The two on pedestals have extendable booms and all four are on swivel mounts.  This allows me to swivel the short booms in closer to the boat.  I then extend the booms out on the other 2 and am able to separate the lines.  If I have 3 people on the boat we run at least 5 poles by running a leaded longline out the back.  I can and have ran a stacker on one of the down riggers to allow for 6 poles but it's often more hassle than it's worth to deal with stackers unless everyone on the boat is experienced and somewhat skilled in running that system.

We tripled up 3 times yesterday and had multiple double hook ups.  Gets a little hectic but makes it fun and interesting. 

That sounds like a cool set up, if you get a chance would you take some pics of your front deck, so we can see how you have those front Downriggers are set up, thanks.

[tigerpincer]

I actually run 4 down riggers on my boat. Two of which are mounted on Tite-lock clamp on mounts.   The other two are mounted on pedestal mounts that are bolted to carpeted buildouts on the boat.  On one side the buildout is a built in cooler and the other side it's a horizontal net rack that has an 8" deck along the top.  This deck is where the pedastal mount is attached.  The two on pedestals have extendable booms and all four are on swivel mounts.  This allows me to swivel the short booms in closer to the boat.  I then extend the booms out on the other 2 and am able to separate the lines.  If I have 3 people on the boat we run at least 5 poles by running a leaded longline out the back.  I can and have ran a stacker on one of the down riggers to allow for 6 poles but it's often more hassle than it's worth to deal with stackers unless everyone on the boat is experienced and somewhat skilled in running that system.

We tripled up 3 times yesterday and had multiple double hook ups.  Gets a little hectic but makes it fun and interesting. 

That sounds like a cool set up, if you get a chance would you take some pics of your front deck, so we can see how you have those front Downriggers are set up, thanks.

Mine is a small 14' Lund aluminum tin can.  I don't really have a front deck. But here are a few pics of how my very modest boat is set up. 

[wiperhunter2]

Wow, that is an impressive setup, can't say I have ever seen one setup that nice. Did you customize it like that yourself or did you buy it that way? Did you cut out the center bench seat and put in that livewell or is that a built in cooler? Wish I had such a clean looking setup like that when I had my 14 fter. Thanks for posting the pics.

[tigerpincer]

Wow, that is an impressive setup, can't say I have ever seen une setup that nice. Did you customize it like that yourself or did you buy it that way? Did you cut out the center bench seat and put in that livewell or is that a built in cooler? Wish I had such a clean looking setup like that when I had my 14 fter. Thanks for posting the pics.

I configured all of the downrigger mounts, installed a mount for a pedastal chair in the center of the boat to have an extra seat when my wife and kids all come fishing and added the deck in the bow where my Lifetime cooler sits.  Under that is where I keep anchors, life preservers etc.  The rest of the boats floor plan came with it when I bought it.  I believe the box was meant to be a cooler.  I dont really see how it would have been used as a live well but I'm not that smart so perhaps I'm incorrect.   It's just a mildly insulated box with a drain line that goes out the back of the boat.  No way to fill or aerate and no power to it.  I've always used it to store my rigger weights and extra pole holders but used it as a fish cooler for the first time on this last Berry trip.  I liked having separate coolers for fish/drinks n food.

[wiperhunter2]

Wow, that is an impressive setup, can't say I have ever seen une setup that nice. Did you customize it like that yourself or did you buy it that way? Did you cut out the center bench seat and put in that livewell or is that a built in cooler? Wish I had such a clean looking setup like that when I had my 14 fter. Thanks for posting the pics.

I configured all of the downrigger mounts, installed a mount for a pedastal chair in the center of the boat to have an extra seat when my wife and kids all come fishing and added the deck in the bow where my Lifetime cooler sits.  Under that is where I keep anchors, life preservers etc.  The rest of the boats floor plan came with it when I bought it.  I believe the box was meant to be a cooler.  I dont really see how it would have been used as a live well but I'm not that smart so perhaps I'm incorrect.   It's just a mildly insulated box with a drain line that goes out the back of the boat.  No way to fill or aerate and no power to it.  I've always used it to store my rigger weights and extra pole holders but used it as a fish cooler for the first time on this last Berry trip.  I liked having separate coolers for fish/drinks n food.

It likely depends on the size of that drain line that comes out of the cooler but it does sound like it was made to be a cooler or a kokanee death well. When fishing with Robert, he always fills his live well with ice, so every koke that is kept goes directly onto ice, makes a big difference on how fresh the kokes stay. 
 Does the drain line come out above the waterline of the boat when it is in the water? If it does, then it is for sure just that a drain line for the cooler. On the other hand, if the drain line is a least 3/8 to 1/2" dia and comes out below the water line then it could be easily converted over to a live well. I haven't done this before but you could buy a bilge pump and hook it up so that you pump water out of the lake and into your cooler/livewell or you could just buy one of the pumps that are made for livewells. It looked like you had a fish finder in your boat, so you could use the same battery you use for that, for the livewell pump. This all is just speculation of course and it might not be something you even want to do but it is possible if that is something you wanted to do.

[tigerpincer]

Wow, that is an impressive setup, can't say I have ever seen une setup that nice. Did you customize it like that yourself or did you buy it that way? Did you cut out the center bench seat and put in that livewell or is that a built in cooler? Wish I had such a clean looking setup like that when I had my 14 fter. Thanks for posting the pics.

I configured all of the downrigger mounts, installed a mount for a pedastal chair in the center of the boat to have an extra seat when my wife and kids all come fishing and added the deck in the bow where my Lifetime cooler sits.  Under that is where I keep anchors, life preservers etc.  The rest of the boats floor plan came with it when I bought it.  I believe the box was meant to be a cooler.  I dont really see how it would have been used as a live well but I'm not that smart so perhaps I'm incorrect.   It's just a mildly insulated box with a drain line that goes out the back of the boat.  No way to fill or aerate and no power to it.  I've always used it to store my rigger weights and extra pole holders but used it as a fish cooler for the first time on this last Berry trip.  I liked having separate coolers for fish/drinks n food.

It likely depends on the size of that drain line that comes out of the cooler but it does sound like it was made to be a cooler or a kokanee death well. When fishing with Robert, he always fills his live well with ice, so every koke that is kept goes directly onto ice, makes a big difference on how fresh the kokes stay. 
 Does the drain line come out above the waterline of the boat when it is in the water? If it does, then it is for sure just that a drain line for the cooler. On the other hand, if the drain line is a least 3/8 to 1/2" dia and comes out below the water line then it could be easily converted over to a live well. I haven't done this before but you could buy a bilge pump and hook it up so that you pump water out of the lake and into your cooler/livewell or you could just buy one of the pumps that are made for livewells. It looked like you had a fish finder in your boat, so you could use the same battery you use for that, for the livewell pump. This all is just speculation of course and it might not be something you even want to do but it is possible if that is something you wanted to do.

Yes I agree with all you've noted here and have considered trying to convert it over for use as a live well but it just hasn't been a priority.  Perhaps some day I'll take the time to figure it out and set some money aside for the required equipment.  For now it makes a good storage and fish icebox.
I do feel lucky to have found and purchased a 14ft boat with this kind of layout.  It's much better than my old 12ft Gregor.  Having the open floor is way nicer than stepping over a middle bench when needing to assist newbies at the front of the boat.